Kidney keeps it low-key

European round-up: Although there will be widespread expectation that Munster can follow up their 24-8 win away to the Dragons by repeating the feat and obtaining a bonus point in the return fixture at Thomond Park on Saturday, true to type coach Declan Kidney has sought to keep things in perspective.

"We have played two away games, one at home and have nine points," he said. "We are in the top 12 to 15 teams in the tournament and the initial task is to be in the top eight at the end of the Pool stages. You can take nothing for granted for your return game because less than 50 per cent of the matches in this tournament turn into double wins.

"And it was out of respect for the Dragons that we played the way we did and I was delighted to leave with a win," added Kidney.

"We controlled possession and that allowed us to stop them from scoring. But Hal Luscombe and Kevin Morgan should be back next weekend and I am sure they will be looking to play an expansive style."

As one of only four teams to have lost all three matches thus far, the Dragons are out of contention for Heineken Cup glory for another campaign - but coach Paul Turner has vowed his team will "still have a say in the outcome of the pool".

"We are certainly going to be looking forward to visiting Thomond Park on Saturday," he said. "It's a great place to play, even if it promises to be a steep learning curve for a lot of the club players who have had to play their part in the tournament because of our injuries. We are trying to develop our youngsters and I was delighted with the way everyone stuck at it against Munster.

"I am sure Sale and Munster will be around the top of the group but we still feel we can make a contribution to the final outcome.

"Munster were a bit too streetwise for us in the contact area and we made a lot of basic errors. But I was proud of the way we competed and stuck at it. We have got a small squad and we have been hit by some significant injuries to players like Hal Luscombe, Kevin Morgan, Nathan Brew, Gareth Wyatt and Jason Forster."

Ulster would be promisingly placed in pool four with games to come at home to Biarritz and away to Treviso if they could complete the double over Saracens, but that will be a sizeable if at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

After his club self-imploded at Ravenhill on Friday night, the Saracens director of rugby, Steve Diamond, was left with feelings of regret that he failed to entice David Humphreys away from Belfast and to London; he had tried to sign Humphreys for Saracens when he first joined the club from Sale.

"Take nothing away from Ulster, they stuck to their game plan and David was magnificent," said Diamond. "He can kick goals from 55 metres and his tactical kicking put pressure on our back three. He showed at Ravenhill why I tried to sign him for Saracens two years ago. Massive credit to him, but I am still confident we can win at home."

Diamond will be banking on his captain Hugh Vyvyan making home advantage count and for it to be Vyvyan's turn to smile after his former Newcastle University flatmate and Ulster skipper Simon Best was the one left with the spoils after Round Three.

"It was a good physical game and both sides respect each other," said Vyvyan.

"The stakes are that much higher when playing in a Heineken Cup game. It was very intense but I have no doubt Ulster would be a top-four team in the English Premiership and that was certainly as hard as playing against one of the top Premiership sides. I thought both Simon and try-scorer Rory (Best) played really well and it's one-nil to Simon - but we'll have to wait and see how the score ends after next weekend's game."

Arguably the performance of the weekend by the Irish provinces was Connacht's 30-20 defeat away to Worcester and they will be buoyed for next Saturday's return European Challenge Cup Pool Five fixture with the Warriors at the Sportsground (2pm) by the news that Darren Yapp and Paul Warwick, who missed the weekend's game through injury, are expected to be available for selection.

A win will put Connacht in pole position to at least qualify as a best runner-up and keep them in contention for a group win and a home quarter-final.

Over 300 Worcester fans are making the trip across.

"Their home support really gave them a lift in the closing stages on Saturday and played a key role in the win," Michael Bradley commented yesterday. "We need the same sort of passion and noise from the Connacht supporters this weekend."