Munster and London Irish do battle in Heineken Cup
Munster will face London Irish at the Madjeski Stadium in the first round of the Heineken Cup this Saturday.
The Irish province has played superb rugby this season and has only lost one game in their opening five in the Magners League. This form has led them to a one-point lead at the top of the table.
Munster’s only loss came in a tense derby match away to Leinster, which the Lions edged 13-9. A late try by Irish captain Brian O’Driscoll was enough to beat Munster after Ronan O’Gara had slotted three penalties for the away side.
London Irish can boast a similar record to Munster this season in the Aviva Premiership. They also top the table having won four of their five games. The team’s only loss came in a 20-13 defeat away to Bath.
In their last match, London Irish demolished Leeds 42-24 at the Madjeski Stadium with Sailosi Tagicakibau scoring two tries after coming off the bench.
The Heineken Cup match promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated opening round matches. Both sides top their respective leagues and have played great rugby so far this season.
Munster has proved that their squad can cope with injuries and they are still missing their inspirational captain Paul O’Connell.
The battle between the fly-halves could determine who comes out on top. Ronan O’Gara has been consistent with his penalties and conversions, while his kicking from hand has always been his strength. The Munster out-half is sure to try and pin London Irish
back and let his forwards dominate.
Ryan Lambe has played well for London Irish, but he will find it difficult against O’Gara if the match becomes tactical. His goal kicking has been very strong and this may give London Irish the edge at home.
London Irish coach Toby Booth believes his side will have to be at their best to match Munster, "It's a fantastic opportunity from a fans' perspective. They'll love it because of the historical Irish connection. We're going up against arguably one of the
best Heineken Cup teams ever."
“When everyone talks about the Heineken Cup, the first two words out of their mouths are Toulouse and Munster," he said.
The forward battle between the two sides will decide the outcome. The Munster forwards have always played as a unit in big games, and with Denis Leamy, John Hayes and David Wallace, they will have the experience to come out on top in what will be a fierce
contest.
"So we're under no illusion of what's in front of us. I think they've got seven of the top 10 capped players in Heineken Cup history, one of them is on the coaching staff and six are still playing,” said Booth.
The London Irish captain Bob Casey believes that their match against Munster is a reward for their fans. He said, "We've got Munster at home, you know it doesn't get much better than that for our fans - who have been brilliant over the years, I hope they
enjoy the day and we're going to make sure as players we enjoy the day."
If London Irish can match Munster’s forwards they may sneak a three-point win with the home support driving them on. However, this match may be too close to call and Munster have defied their critics more time than not.
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