The Field Of Welford Road

By Chris Chaplin
April 10 2003

Not an Anthem as Fields of Athenry is to the Munster supporters, but that piece of grass opposite the LRI in Leicester may well be the factor that sees Tigers through to another European Cup Semi-final and the men from Munster denied the chance of progressing to a second consecutive Final.

Due to the peculiarities of the HEC the Irish and Scots have the benefit of "select" provincial teams to enhance their chances of success in this competition. This is presumably due to the inability of the individual clubs to compete effectively at this level. Although why the same concession has not been afforded the competition’s perennial whipping boys, the Italians, rather escapes me, especially as the Welsh are seemingly to receive similar dispensation. Anyway we are where we are and England’s current double back to back league champions and back to back European Cup holders are again locking horns with last year’s beaten finalists who boast nearly 200 Irish caps in their all star line-up!

There is no doubt that Munster played exactly the right game against a hapless Gloucester side in their last pool game. Whether or not that was due to their taking advantage of a Guinness induced error by a member of the English side in leaving a written note of his team’s game-plan in a taxi or an inspired piece of strategic thinking by the Munster management doesn’t much matter, in most games the sides have usually worked out each others’ plans within the first quarter anyway. The key is being able to do something about it. So whatever the truth of the matter Munster played a blinder in defeating the outstanding team in England this term.

We hear much from the Munster supporters of the almost beatific qualities of their team but on that gloomy day at Thomond Park there was thuggery about and had it not been for the eternally inept and cowardly refereeing of Joel Jutge there would have been a queue of Munster players waiting for a seat in the sin-bin. Whether the Munster team will pursue a similar approach this time remains to be seen. If they do and the excellent WRFU referee Nigel Williams officiates as he usually does we could see a great deal of comings and goings and maybe more goings than comings at that.

The all international Munster front row of Marcus Horan, Frankie Sheehan and John Hayes, sharing a total of 89 HEC appearances between them, played well against Glaws, although it has to be said that Azam was having a bit of an “away-day” and all three of them were able to run riot in the loose, popping up hither and thither. On that day, due in no small part to the demeanour of Azam, the Cork Constitution lock pairing of O’Callaghan and O’Driscoll had a happy time at the set piece as well as in the loose but it was the Munster back-row that really did the damage and it is unlikely that we‘ll see any changes in this area. As far as the locks are concerned Young Munster’s O’Connell is now fit but it’d be tough on O’Callaghan if he loses his place after doing so well against Gloucester.

Fourteen times capped Aussie Jim Williams, Alan Quinlan and Anthony Foley, the latter having made no fewer than 50 appearances in the HEC, all had stupendous games, but it has to be said that referee Jutge let them get away with murder in every department. They were offside more than they were on. They handled on the floor with impunity, late tackled, came in from the side and must have generally thought they were at a back-row jamboree so few were the sanctions against them. Somewhat extraordinarily when someone eventually had a ten minute break from the action it was Gloucester’s Peter Buxton - it was that sort of day for the West Countrymen!

The Munster backs of course benefited from good possession with Stringer getting the better of Gomersall who was in a bit of form dip at the time but for all that the Munster attack had two main penetrative weapons: the grubber kick through the flat Gloucester defence and the Garryowen to the abject Henry Paul, who had the most awful of afternoons at the hands of O’Gara who was playing with his customary mix of intelligence and aplomb and although his kicking was not perfect all was forgiven by his display of chutzpah in slotting the final death-knell kick that saw his side through

If Stringer gets the same degree of latitude and plays as well as he otherwise did that day he’ll get O’Gara and his backs away as when brilliantly drawing Delport before putting Kelly in for the first Munster try, this in circumstances not dissimilar to those leading to Graeme Bond’s try last Sunday, except that it was the wing rather than the centre who straightened. Interestingly though Gloucester’s flat defence absorbed most of the direct pressure from Munster and if Glaws are well tutored by the French defensive coach Dave Ellis then so should Tigers be under the tutelage of his English opposite number Mr Larder.

Kiwi centre and Irish A Jason Holland is another clever player and picks up his runner’s intentions well, as was witnessed by his clever grubber kick for left wing Mossie Lawlor to chase and dive on to as it crossed the try line. Although it was a close run thing as to whether the ball had actually gone dead before he got to it, the match officials gave him the benefit of the doubt. As I said it was that sort of afternoon. Holland put in another inch perfect cross field kick which neither Delport or Paul could cope with and lock O’Driscoll, who had a fine game in open play, popped up and strolled over with the opposition reduced to spectators.

So in Holland and O’Gara Munster have two gifted strategic kickers and we can bet that given time they’ll try to pen Tigers back in their own 22. However while O’Gara is a shoo in and the vastly experienced Mullins’ solid play is likely to see him retained, coach Gaffney has to decide whether to restore the superb Rob Henderson to the #12 shirt. It’s difficult to see that a player of Henderson’s quality, with 24 HEC appearances, as well as six caps for the Lions and 23 for Ireland to his credit, will be left warming the bench, even though his direct playing style could well suit the Tigers defence rather better than the more subtle skills of Holland.

Similarly Cork Constitution’s Anthony Horgan is back. So will he get a wing spot in place of Lawlor as it seems likely that Kelly will stay put?

Munster’s final score came while Azam was cooling his heels and after a period of pressure in the shadow of the Glaws posts the Munster backs again combined to put Kelly in for his second.

Outside centre Mullins is reliable, as his 14 Irish caps and 31 HEC appearances pay testament to, he also played very well against Glaws, although #15 Jeremy Staunton, the only participant from the historic Garryowen club, was relegated to a relative bit part and while the latter is secure in defence he’s no Geordan Murphy in attack but neither he or Mullins should be underestimated as their support play was good and they defended well when required.

Munster then. In front of a fired up Thomond Park with a compliant second rate referee their pack did the business to earn their place in the knockout stages and while their talented back division struggled with their opponents well organised and obdurate defence the Munster teams’ ability to take the ball up in the forwards was very impressive on the day and when inside Glaws’ 22 their backs speed of thought, handling and finishing was of the highest order.

However it was a very different matter earlier on in the campaign when they were away at Kingsholm in the Autumn, getting a real doing over for their trouble then and also in their later capitulation in France. So perhaps, as at the Millenium Stadium almost a year ago, their game is less assured when on the road.

In the first half against Sale last Sunday Tigers were at their very best against a side who, for all their shortcomings in the pack, are good enough to be in second place in the toughest league in the World.

Perry Freshwater had an excellent game but for all that I hope Rowntree is fit to start on Sunday, for his presence as a key element of the Grand Slam pack that destroyed the Irish just a couple of weeks ago will give an added psychological boost against the Irish trio. West will clearly start at 2 however it is a moot point as to whether the grunt of Garforth should be used to start the proceedings or the mobility of Franck be employed from the outset. On balance I think the former and in which case I think the muscle and class of the Tigers’ front row will prevail in both tight and open play with the ambitions of the Irish curtailed.

At lock there can be little doubt that a combination of Johnno and Ben Kay should be enough to neutralise the potential Irish duos in the tight but O’Driscoll will need careful marking in the loose.

The back-row contest should be a corker. The ill disciplined Quinlan was dropped from the Irish side that met England and Foley had an awful game when he was played out of the contest by the English back-row. For me the main threat is the inspirational Williams but with Corry restored to #8 and accompanied by Josh and Backy I think they’ll have a distinct edge, particularly as Foley will remember Backy from Lansdowne Road and the Irish‘s larcenous intent should thus be frustrated by the fearsome tackling of the Tigers.

Tierney, so long in the shadow of Stringer, just must start. Tom had a very good game against Redpath, who I rate higher than Stringer on both playing and acting ability, and the second Irish Tiger will have something to prove. I think he will have a big game.

Oz against O’Gara! Oz will have benefited greatly from the Sale game and if he is on his customary HEC form then I expect that he too will want to prove a point against his erstwhile Lions’ colleague. The inside centre slot is obviously dependent upon Kafer’s fitness. Fred played well enough there on Sunday and was against the very talented Bond to whom he gave little away, although of course the Sale centre did score a try. My instinct is to prefer the more cerebral Gelderbloom but on balance Fred may be just what it needs to upset Holland and curtail his inspirational kicking, on the other hand he would represent something of a physical challenge for the recently returned Rob Henderson should he get the nod, even though he has played little competitive rugby since his recovery. If Rod is fit I suppose he’ll start but in many ways he gives us a mix of the talents of Fred and Glenn but not the best of either.

Obviously we must hope against hope that Ollie Smith is recovered, for as well as Leon played in the first half against Sale Ollie’s class gives Tigers’ that extra dimension and I’d back him against Mullins, although in the case of Leon.......it’d all depend on what sort of day he’s having.

Geordan’s restoration to the right wing must now be assured and it will be a worm of doubt ever in his opponent’s brain whether it be Lawlor or more likely Hogan that he faces, as to what the Irish Tiger is going to do next. On Tigers left wing will presumably either be Fred (if Rod is back) or Booth (if he’s not) left to face Kelly, who, as we’ve seen, is a superb finisher. Obviously Fred and Boothy have very different perspectives on how to defend and either will have their hands full if Kelly gets ball inside our half.

At full-back thankfully Stimmo is returned to us. The Garryowen ploy used by O’Gara to such great effect against Paul and Delport will not have such currency if directed at Stimmo and Geordan or for that matter Fred/Booth all of whom are accomplished under such fusillades and the Irish defence will have much to consider if they watched Stimmo demonstrate his attacking credentials against Sale. We can also expect a good supply of penalties if the Irish pack start out as they did against Glaws and here again Stimmo’s contribution will be key.

The outcome then? I really can’t see Munster out muscling the Tigers pack as they were allowed to the Gloucester eight, or often seven. Without copious ball, and as Sale found out, even the most talented of back divisions can’t play. In front of a packed Welford Road and even with a good Irish contingent having begged, borrowed and many may even say extorted tickets from Tigers’ supporters banging away with the Fields of Athenry, I don’t see Tigers losing this best chance to save an otherwise uninspiring season and concede only the second home defeat in an HEC quarter final since the competition‘s inception. So an at last coming to form Tigers, at Welford Road against an opponent who has not travelled well and with the weight of history on their shoulders. It should be Tigers by 10 to 15 points.