Win or bust
Quinlan lays it on line as French champions bid to storm Fortress Thomond. Photo: Getty Images
A REGIONAL reporter once noted that: "When your back is against the wall, the only thing to do is turn around and fight."
While one would question the usefulness of your backside in a scrap, the sentiment, if not the tactic, is correct and can be applied to Munster's Heineken Cup showdown with Perpignan in Thomond Park this evening.
Tony McGahan's side have been beating their heads against the wall for most of the season. Injuries, suspension and the delayed reintroduction of their large Lions contingent have not helped but while there have been decent performances and convincing passages of play, Munster have not come remotely close to the standards of last season when their all-enveloping play reached breathtaking heights until Leinster caught them at Croke Park.
The set piece has been an issue as has a lack of discipline while the midfield play has been jerky and disjointed, placing an inordinate amount of scrutiny on out-half Ronan O'Gara.
When Jean de Villiers jetted in fresh from his Tri Nations and Lions series achievements with South Africa, it was to a rapturous reception that belied the reality of the capture.
Munster did not need De Villiers, nor did Irish rugby, the Keith Earls-Lifeimi Mafi centre combination was the best in Europe last season up until the Heineken Cup semi-final and the South African's inclusion meant four of Munster's five outside backs were ineligible for Ireland -- hardly a healthy situation for provinces feeding the national cause.
The Springbok comes across as a genuine individual and is obviously a quality, if one-dimensional, player but when overseas players are signed on lucrative short-term contracts, there is a pressure to excel -- a pressure Rocky Elsom met for Leinster last season in a position where he did not affect the plans of Ireland coach, Declan Kidney.
The De Villiers-Mafi partnership struggled through five Magners League and two Heineken Cup matches, continually described as a "work in progress".
Now McGahan has called time and gone back to last season's drawing board in the knowledge that there is no longer any latitude for a wait-and-see approach.
It is a brave call but a sensible one. Earls has been in excellent form this season and he and Mafi will need to be at their best to match Perpignan's international combination of David Marty and Maxime Mermoz. It also allows Denis Hurley onto the left wing, further good news for Kidney, and just reward for the Cork Constitution man's consistent displays this season while De Villiers, as he showed against Ireland a couple of weeks ago, can be an extremely effective power player off the bench.
O'Gara and Tomas O'Leary will look to control matters at out-half and will be central to the home side's prospects this evening.
difficulties
Whether that includes O'Gara taking the place kicks after his recent difficulties remains to be seen but his overall game is in good nick and if he decides to hand place-kicking duties to full-back Paul Warwick, the Australian is more than capable of meeting the challenge.
Up front, Wian du Preez makes his Heineken Cup debut at loose-head prop. The South African arrived as a short-term replacement for Marcus Horan but now gets the nod ahead of Tony Buckley. Again, this is hardly the ideal scenario for Kidney but reflects the necessity of the occasion.
Du Preez is an accomplished scrummager on the left-hand side of the scrum while Buckley, although he can play both sides, is more comfortable on the tight-head side and the South African may be better equipped to handle the destructive power of Perpignan captain, Nicolas Mas.
Losing hooker Jerry Flannery to an Achilles problem is a considerable blow but Denis Fogarty has the game for the occasion with an emphasis on hitting his line-out jumpers.
It promises to be a compelling battle in the forwards as the French will believe they have the muscle to dominate the Munster pack and they bring considerable beef to Thomond Park.
Perry Freshwater's credentials are well established, they have a huge uncompromising second-row partnership and while their best ball-carrier Henry Tuilagi is unavailable, the Romanian Ovidiu Tonita is a tough customer and one who caused the Irish pack some problems at the 2003 World Cup.
Alan Quinlan and Perpignan share a relationship that stretches back 11 years to when the sides first clashed in 1998/99 and he knows exactly what to expect this evening.
"They're a top-quality team," said Quinlan. "They won the French Championship last year and they've always been very strong and competitive in the Heineken Cup.
"They have a lash of internationals in their team and a lot of up and coming players -- they're a strong team, there's no point in saying otherwise. Strong and physical and they will be a tough challenge for us.
He added: "The standard is improving in the Heineken Cup and we've probably been in a lot of tough groups in the last couple of years and to play the top French team again this year is a big challenge. They're quality. Their set piece is very strong, scrum, line-out, defensively. And they've a lot of good ball carriers. So we need to make sure that we get ourselves right, our own set piece right and our own game right and hopefully that can happen."
It should be a gripping night in Thomond with Munster's supporters certain to respond to the call-to-arms. With a forward unit based around four men who bossed the Springboks around Croke Park, Munster should have enough possession to release a backline that has a more threatening look to it with Earls in midfield.
Quinlan says the squad know precisely how much is riding on this game.
"We're in no position to look too far ahead, especially with our form being a bit patchy," said Quinlan. "The ideal is to win both games, put Perpignan out of the competition and leave it down to a straight shoot-out between us and Northampton.
"That would be great but you can't look too far ahead. We're not in a position the way we're playing to have that kind of confidence to think we can just turn up at Thomond Park and turn it on. We realise that as a team, which is good, that we have to perform. It's going to be difficult but hopefully a positive two weeks."
This could be the night Munster get their season up and running properly -- simply because they have to.
Verdict: Munster
MUNSTER -- P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, D Hurley; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; W du Preez, D Fogarty, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt); A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy. Reps: D Varley, D Hurley, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, N Ronan, P Stringer, J de Villiers.
PERPIGNAN -- J Porical; F Sid, D Marty, M Mermoz, C Manas; G Hume, N Durand; P Freshwater, G Guirado, N Mas (capt); O Olibeau, R Tchale Watchou; Y Vivalda, B Guiry, O Tonita. Reps: M Tincu, J Schuster, K Pulu, C Geli, D Mele, JP Grandclaude, P Burger, R Alvarez.
REF -- W Barnes (England)
Munster v Perpignan
Live, Sky Sports 2, 8.0
Delayed coverage RTE 2, 11.25
- Hugh Farrelly
Irish Independent
