Against the head
 By
JOHNNY O’CONNOR
WHAT a great weekend for Irish rugby that has guaranteed Irish representation
in the Heineken Cup final for the first time since 2002. London Irish
are also looking good for a place in the European Challenge Cup final
after a magnificent victory over Bayonne in the quarter-final. Brian Smith’s
team now face Newcastle in the semi-final after their comprehensive 23-3
victory over Connacht.
Irish rugby has seldom had the opportunity to put one over on French opposition
but last weekend’s results for both Munster and Leinster has certainly
put that record straight. Leinster’s memorable 41-35 victory in
Toulouse will be talked about in rugby circles for many years and will
surely go down as one of the great Heineken Cup classics.
A home tie for the holders appeared to have a semi-final place all set
up for the crack French club but Michael Cheika’s team simply refused
to read the script. The Leinster backs who didn’t see that much
of the ball in the course of the game were simply awesome beginning with
Brian O’Driscoll’s opening try in the first half.
However it was the Leinster pack who really caught the eye and withstood
some ferocious pressure from Toulouse in the third quarter before Michaelac
made an uncharacteristic error that gifted Cameron Jowitt Leinster’s
second try.
A subdued Munster withstood a tough test against Perpignan at Lansdowne
Road in their quarter-final tie but survived to deservedly qualify for
one of the most eagerly anticipated inter-provincial clashes in years
against Leinster on April 23. On the basis of Leinster’s last two
Heineken Cup performances Michael Cheika’s team must be regarded
as slight favourites to make their first Heineken Cup final.
All last weekend’s European action really made all of us at Wasps
quite envious about the fact that we were not involved but at least we
do have a Powergen Cup final at Twickenham to look forward to this weekend.
In what we hope will be the first part of a domestic double, we play Simon
Easterby’s Llanelli Scarlets in what we expect will be a tough game.
The Scarlets have already defeated us in the Heineken Cup this season
on a foggy evening in Stradey Park just before Christmas. While we did
avenge that defeat in the home tie one has only to look at their performance
against Bath in the semi-final to realise we are in for a tough game.
Nevertheless our free week has helped us to have a full squad available
and I personally cannot wait to get back into action. Our recent Twickenham
record is quite good and so we are confident we can succeed. Our Premiership
rivals at the top of the table will also be hoping that we lift the Cup.
If we do win then a top five finish would be good enough for Heineken
Cup qualification next season.
In the curtain-raiser Harlequins, after already securing promotion back
to the Premiership, should have too much power for Bedford in the Trophy
Final. |
