Echoes of glory still strong

A lot has happened in these turbulent times in rugby, since last I contributed to this newspaper. A visit to faraway places and a nudge from a higher authority - no I did not take any performance-enhancing drugs - among other matters imposed their own restrictions and demands.

The season to date has been a mixture of the good, the not so good and the downright ugly. The English clubs, having failed to get their various league proposals off the ground, and having failed to scupper the European Cup, nonetheless continue to wag the tail of their parent union. Bankruptcy still looms on the horizon for a few more clubs.

The Mayfair Agreement and the departure of Cliff Brittle from the chairmanship of the English Rugby Union prompted the former secretary of the English union Tony Hallett to tell the world "the lights are going again in British rugby". It must be candlelight.

The Mayfair Agreement has been as effective as the performance-enhancing drugs some of the Irish players are alleged to have been taking since 1988 judged on the results in the interim. Whether or not the old pills were popped and needles inserted I do not know, but I have not seen any evidence produced to make me believe that rugby in this country has a serious drugs problem. But a former Ireland player of the 1987-1996 era, Neil Francis, did raise a very serious matter, albeit in a manner that initially raised the hackles of many of his former Ireland colleagues and the IRFU, and sent some of my rugby writing colleagues into overdrive on the laptops. Those and other matters central to Irish rugby provide abundant material for discussion on other days, but not on this particular day.

This is a very special day today and it is an appropriate time to reflect on what was a wonderful occasion for Munster and Irish rugby. On the October 31st, 1978, 12,000 people went to Thomond Park to see Munster take on the All Blacks. Much has been written, and rightly so, about that match in recent days, but for those of us who were at the match, it has very special and personal memories and immense significance.

In 1973, the All Blacks had been extremely fortunate to get away with a draw against Munster at Musgrave Park, thanks to an injury-time penalty. Yet another near miss among a few for Munster against the All Blacks.

The Wallabies had fallen at Musgrave Park to Munster's special qualities in 1967, as indeed they did twice subsequently. The Springboks too, had been defeated on Munster soil, at Thomond Park in 1965 by the Irish Universities, led by the late Jerry Walsh.

In 1974, when the All Blacks came to celebrate the IRFU centenary, they defeated Munster 14-4 at Thomond Park. That afternoon five members of that 1974 Munster side walked from the pitch not knowing then that they would get another chance (at the same venue four years later) to give a performance which would sweep aside the best the greatest rugby nation of all could produce. They were Larry Moloney, Donal Canniffe, Pat Whelan, Moss Keane and Colm Tucker.

It is said that 100,000 people claim to have been in Thomond Park 20 years ago today. It is easy to understand why. Those of us who were genuinely "there" will all have our own special memories of what was undoubtedly the greatest occasion in the history of Munster rugby and one of the greatest in the history of Irish rugby.

Long before kick-off time, the thousands were making their way to Thomond Park and before the match started the atmosphere in the ground was incredible. In retrospect, I think there was immense expectation if not that Munster would finally beat the All Blacks, then at least give them a contest of real substance.

We knew that there was a lot of quality in this Munster team. Yet, I remember having gone to London in September for a two-match tour by Munster and seen an especially heavy defeat inflicted by Middlesex at the Wasps ground in Sudbury. But this was a much changed Munster team from that which lost to Middlesex. Apart from the alterations in personnel, the major changes were the level of preparation, tactical awareness and dedication to a cause. That was a dedication not induced by money, but by the quest for glory and the honour of a province.

I well remember, too, that the Munster coach Tom Kiernan was in no way despondent after that defeat. He had charted his course for the tests ahead, the match against the All Blacks and the Interprovincial Championship. The tour to London was but a means to an end and that was the context in which Kiernan had judged it. He knew what he wanted and what he had available to achieve it.

And now the memories come flooding back. The reception the crowd gave Munster when they ran on to the field, from the outset the Munster forwards in full cry; the eruption when Christy Cantillon got a try in the early stages and Tony Ward converted it. Ward at his majestic best, teasing and tantalising the All Blacks with superb tactical kicking. The magnificence of the Munster tackling, the way the forwards tore through the line-out when the All Blacks got possession. Seamus Dennison drilling Stu Wilson with a tackle that sent a shudder through the crowd as the sound of battle rose up from stand and terrace.

The Munster back row of Colm Tucker, Donal Spring and Christy Cantillon was superb that day. Pat Whelan exhorting his forwards to renewed effort, Donal Canniffe's play and leadership at scrum-half. A dropped goal from Ward and Munster 9-0 ahead.

Then into the second half and still the thin red line was unbreachable. The discipline of the Munster side not giving away penalties. Then Munster 12-0 ahead as Ward dropped a second goal. Now the crowd knew that a famous victory beckoned. All anxieties gone as the All Blacks's scrum was driven almost into the wall surrounding the ground. Then the sweetest sound of all, the final whistle.

This afternoon at Musgrave Park the men who fashioned that incredible win will be presented to the crowd at Thomond Park.

Age will have taken its inevitable toll. But we will remember them as they were that famous afternoon 20 years ago. We will acclaim them as we did 20 years ago and as they deserve to be acclaimed, heroes to a man.

Thanks for the glorious memories no money could ever buy.

Edmund Van Esbeck's column will appear on Fridays from next week.