Classic game shows up the need to rebuild

There is now an obvious difference: Munster create a blindside but Leinster create an openside

ONCE AGAIN our physically beautiful game has proved the adage right: attack when you have the ball and attack when you don’t have the ball. For long stretches of Saturday night’s semi-final Leinster couldn’t get near the ball but were more than happy to force Munster down cul-de-sacs.

Munster came to the RDS with a gameplan and a bench to match it. Attack hard around the fringes, and, when the ball was quick, head down the blindside. Tomás O’Leary took responsibility off his captain Ronan O’Gara by channelling wave after wave into the Leinster blindside fringe. Was this the weakness? If so, the Munster bench would then be launched to exploit it.

Leinster, too, had a gameplan which has evolved over recent seasons. First, stop the opposition from playing by attacking in numbers, attacking the ball and attacking the space, and when the opportunity presents itself ruthlessly exploit the space. Was O’Gara’s 10th-minute crossfield kick to Meathman, King of Fullbacks and Mick Lyons impersonator Shane Horgan a tactical ploy, or the result of Leinster pressure? The latter, I fancy.

There is now an obvious difference between these great teams: Munster create a blindside but Leinster create an openside. Rob Kearney’s five-pointer began with a midfield scrum. Munster would have headed for the blindside and stayed there. Leinster, however, attacked the left 15-metre channel, exposing 55 metres of openside for Jonny Sexton, Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll to weave their magic.

Unfortunately, once again, the man in the middle was also in the middle of controversy, particularly surrounding the “Healy” situation. Interestingly, Nigel Owens’ immediate reaction to the high hit from O’Leary was a horizontal arm: scrum Munster. As the seconds ticked by, and with obvious Leinster disgust, he went to the TMO, asked a rubbish question and received a rubbish answer. For a moment Owens lost control of himself but maintained control of the fixture.

Owens is an excellent referee and God knows what would have happened if it were an academy ref on the whistle. A fixture of this nature will test the best and he was brought to the pin of his collar.

With both titanic captains injured it was interesting to observe their able deputies. O’Gara continues to carry the world on both shoulders, driving his team forward. But, as the general playmaker, does he need to be scolded by experienced referee Owens? Why indeed does O’Gara have to involve himself in every fracas available?

Conversely, Shane Jennings has matured enormously this season. Clearly aggrieved by his lengthy suspension, he has returned to the fray an extremely focused backrow forward and leader, quietly getting on with both jobs.

In the past he did loiter on the precipice of niggle. Last Saturday he was very important to Leinster’s controlled aggression, and ably supported by his pack.

There was much talk of “player fatigue” last week. But Munster and Leinster proved in their performances against Cardiff and Edinburgh that there is hunger for trophies this season. Leinster displayed plenty of energy against Edinburgh, epitomised by Rob Kearney’s blockdown, follow-up and touchdown at the death.

Munster, likewise, were in excellent “cup” form in securing the losing bonus point against Cardiff. The Blues are an excellent insight into the distance between Irish and Welsh attitudes to the Magners League. Munster and Leinster want to win everything.

If there was a risk of exhaustion it was from the spectators. On 30 minutes my notebook was full. Keith Earls made a brilliant break down the blindside. Kearney made his best hit of the season to stop him. Shane Horgan was fielding like Bomber Liston, before being banished to the bin. Mick O’Driscoll caught a mighty Munster 22-metre drop out.

The Munster scrum was in serious trouble and their lineout not much better. But they had the ball and plenty of it as the wind dictated their play.

They also had a serious backline, with Earls comfortable in the outside channel, but the ball kept going down the blindside and away from Jean de Villiers, Doug Howlett, Lifeimi Mafi and Earls.

Meantime, Kearney was like a pinball machine, fielding ball, bouncing and bobbing his way forward through traffic.

By half-time it was hard to pick out a man of the match. Stanley Wright was brilliant, as was Mick O’Driscoll; so too was Kearney and, in glimpses, Earls. Much was to come from Jamie Heaslip. But I couldn’t help ask myself what Sexton brings to this Leinster side that Shaun Berne doesn’t.

Like Healy, he is very much on the upward slope of his career. And like Healy he is prepared to learn and bounce back when all’s not well. Long gone is the man who reacted to O’Gara in Croke Park’s HC semi-final. His line-kicking is more aggressive and his ability to maximise possession is crucial to Leinster.

Would Leinster have beaten Toulouse with him? Maybe not, but I’m certain he would have asked many more questions.

As the season draws to a close Munster are left with many questions. Three provinces are down and more of our stars are slipping away, and I’m reminded of Baldrick’s reaction to the dreadful news of his pet hamster losing the fight for survival: “ ‘Neville, gone, sir?’ Lieutenant The Honourable George Colthurst St Barleigh could only muster ‘Well, Jacko and the Badger bought it at the first Ypres front, unfortunately, quite a shock, that. I remember Bumfluff’s house-master wrote and told me that Sticky had been out for a duck, and the Gubber had snitched a parcel sausage-end and gone goose-over-stump frogside . . .’ ”

It was a brilliant match and worthy of two top-class adversaries, but next season brings with it RWC and the immediate need to rebuild.