Munster hold edge against Brive in Amlin Cup Quarter-Finals – Rugby news
Former Heineken Champions Munster and Club Athlétique Brive Corrèze Limousin renowned as CA Brive will take on each other at Stade Municipal during the Amlin Challenge Cup quarterfinals.
A match is a more of mismatch as the Magners League leaders will take on the TOP 14 minnows.
Munster are currently at the top of the Magners League table. This season they have only lost three of the 19 games they have played during the Magners League 2010-11 season. Alongside 16 wins, Munster have also secured 5 bonus points from securing four
or more tries and to go with it they also have two losing bonus points to their name of the three games they have lost.
CA Brive on the other hand are placed at the 12th place with 42 points. Brive have so far played 23 games in the French Top 14 season and were able to end on the winning side just seven times. CA Brive draw two games and lost 14 games.
They were able to win the bonus point for securing four tries in a game three times while have seven losing points. While Munster has lost a single match with a difference of more than seven points, CA Brive has conceded the game with more than seven point
difference for seven times.
Munster also coming from a big win as they overcome the Leinster’s challenge during their last week encounter to steal the game away from the Leinster after conceding the lead in the first half.
CA Brive has a tough ask in their hand to check the Munster attack and particularly to control their Fly Half Ronan O’ Gara. Ronan O’Gara remained very instrumental and pivotal to the Munster success in this season. His contributions can be determined from
the fact that during Munster’s win over Leinster with final scorecard reading 24 – 23, Ronan O’Gara has scored 21 points in the game for Munster. This included the last minute penalty that enables the Munster to register their 16th win in the season.
CA Brive’s midfielder Fabrice Estebanez is aware of the Ronan O’Gara capabilities and has termed him a dangerous player. O’Gara bruised his eye during their last match however has seemed to recover from the blue and red eye.
However, it is very difficult to prevent O’Gara from scoring as he has scored in his last 80 successive Heineken Cup matches. Furthermore, O’Gara is the only player to top 1,000 tournament points and is one of the eight Ireland Internationals who had participated
in the recently held Six Nations Trophy.
However, Munster preparation for match struck a major blow when as Ian Dowling and Paul O’Connell was ruled out of the game. Ian Dowling has announced his retirement few days back followed his hip injured that he sustained during the game against at Ospreys.
Paul O’Connell on the other hand suffered from ankle injury during Munster’s last week encounter against the Leinster.
On the positive side, Muster will have the services of Denis Hurley who has recovered from the ankle injury sustained in the Magners League game against Edinburgh. Denis Hurley will be included in the starting line-up for the first time since mid February.
Munster will start the match as favourites and might end the match with a lead of 10 – 15 points. Brive’s need to play exceptionally in every area of the game if they want to give tough time to the Munster’s and to stop their progress for semi finals.
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