Munster have work to do in the scrum if they’re to keep their Heineken Cup hopes alive but Leinster are within touching distance of the last eight and Ulster have put themselves in a position to join them there, writes JOE’s rugby analyst Malcolm O’Kelly.
As much as the younger heads such as Seanie O’Brien and Cian Healy shone again for Leinster on Saturday, having the likes of Brian O’Driscoll back was absolutely huge. He showed his class again and again throughout the game.
Leinster continued where they finished over in Clermont, playing an open and attacking brand of rugby. They were very clinical in all areas, very strong at the scrum and lineout. The kick-off was one area where it was a real contest for Leinster, deft drop outs aimed for their backrower Julien Bonnaire to regather but Isa Nacewa took responsibility fielding some great catches out of the sky and taking some big hits in the process.
Overall, the lads can be very happy with a very good performance. The only slight negative was the last 20 minutes or so, when they had scored the three tries and were in control of the game. The opportunity for the bonus point was certainly there and they would have been hoping to focus on getting the fourth try at that stage, but they let the intensity of their play slip that they had showed up to that and allowed Clermont back into the game. In searching for the fourth try Leinster just seemed to become less direct, plus they seemed to be on the wrong end of referee Nigel Owen’s whistle. Instead of being patient waiting for their opportunity confronting Clermont as they had done all game running hard lines and being clinical, they made a number of handling errors and gave Clermont the initiative to get their game back on line. All that aside a very powerful performance against a good outfit.
I always thought Leinster were genuine Heineken Cup contenders. Putting themselves in the position to challenge was going to be the first hurdle to cross, and the way things stand now they’re in a great spot. They’ve picked up five points in the two games against Clermont, and the other results have really gone their way with Racing and Saracens tripping each other up. Leinster have the stranglehold on the table now so they’ve every right to be very happy. There’s a home fixture against Saracens to come, and everything is still very much in their own hands.
The Leinster coach Joe Schmidt will be very happy with the way it’s gone over the last ten days or so. For a while during the week it looked like Leinster were going to be without all four of their Lions 2009 starters. Brian and Jamie Heaslip proved their strength of character to get themselves fit and back in the team, and played a big part in Saturday’s result. The longer term absentees Luke Fitz and Rob Kearney would be a huge loss to any panel but Fergus McFadden, Eoin O’Malley, as well as more experienced heads like Shane Horgan and Isa, have been really impressive, so it all augurs well for the immediate future of Leinster rugby.
The front row trio of Mike Ross, Cian Healy and Richardt Strauss deserve a lot of credit and they put in another massive performance. Cian was exceptional taking the ball on, very physical and robust, constantly breaking the gain line and deservedly scoring two tries. Mike must be very happy with the way he’s holding up the scrum. He is a valuable commodity in Leinster and could well be in Declan Kidney’s plans come February.
Scrum trouble for Munster
The scrum was a massive factor in Munster’s defeat to Ospreys, quite possibly the deciding factor. It’s rare to see the scrum being so vital but that’s the way it was in Swansea. Ospreys had so much dominance in that area that it was a big surprise to me to see them opt for a lineout in the last few minutes when they were going for a try. A scrum seemed to be the logical course of action there but they didn’t take it.
Work to do … Denis Leamy, Tony Buckley and Mick O’Driscoll
You’re always going to be tested against the Ospreys in the scrum. Paul James, Adam Jones and Richard Hibbard – that’s the Welsh front row – so Munster were going to be under pressure. Tony Buckley is still learning the trade and Saturday was another hard lesson. He’s such a big man and the only thing he can do is to really work hard on his technique, working with the scrum coaches. With him, he’s a huge man and his problem is nothing to do with strength. Just pure technique. He’s up against the best week after week so there’s no place to hide.
There was a stage when Munster were being turned over on their own ball and it is worrying for them. They’re up against Toulon next month in a game they now have to win if they’re to stay alive in the competition. If the scrum is their Achilles heel, it’s going to be exploited there. The positive is that they have three or four weeks to work on it to get it right.
There were a few question marks about the Keith Earls try but it looked fair enough to me. The Ospreys winger was reacting to the bounce of the ball, and when he slowed up and changed direction there was a bit of a meeting of bodies, with Dougie Howlett colliding into two Ospreys players. I suppose if it was a car crash Dougie would be in the wrong and facing the old insurance claim, but in rugby those things happen. In any case, Ospreys can’t really have any grievances because Ronan O’Gara was taken out for Mike Phillips’s try. It was fairly obvious. The referee must have been… How shall I put it? Unsighted.
Like Leinster, Ulster also enjoyed a fine victory on Saturday. Back to back wins over Bath has given them a real opportunity now. They have Aironi away in the last game, and they’ll be expecting to take five points there, so the game against Biarritz at Ravenhill before that is winner take all. It’s been too long since Ulster were challenging in the Heineken Cup and it would be great to see them back in the knock-out stages again.
360 degrees … Nevin Spence touches down in the corner for a
crucial second half try against Bath on Saturday
Two of their young guys, Nevin Spence (above) and Adam D’Arcy, made their mark with vital tries at the Rec and Ian Humphreys had a fantastic game. It’s great for Ulster, and great for Ireland to see someone like Humphreys turning in performances like that with another Six Nations and World Cup on the horizon. He hasn’t had much of a chance with Ireland – he’s only played Ireland ‘A’ up to now – but a few more displays like the one he put in against Bath will be giving plenty of food for Declan Kidney for 2011.
He’s up against it with Johnny Sexton and Ronan O’Gara ahead of him in the pecking order, and it’s doubtful whether Deccie will bring three specialist out halves to the World Cup in the autumn, but if Humphreys continues that form into the New Year he’ll put himself right in the mix.
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