Experience proves an invaluable asset

ANALYSIS:Know-how plays such a vital role in tight games when the margins are small, writes Warren Gatland

IN THE previews before this weekend's two semi-finals I spoke about the importance of the experience of having reached this stage of the tournament before and how it can make a massive difference in tight matches: that was at the core of the victories for Munster and Toulouse this weekend.

Familiarity with what's required in tight, pressure-laden contests and how to deal with that suffocating pressure and respond positively is what decided both games.

Toulouse and Munster have the capacity to absorb pressure and then find a way to respond.

They are both capable of mixing and matching the manner in which they play to suit certain situations and the experience borne from previous encounters is invaluable in this respect.

Both semi-finals could have gone either way and this didn't surprise me. I thought that London Irish and Saracens possessed the wherewithal to really test their more vaunted opponents and that's exactly what they did.

However, when small margins decide matches it places a massive premium on discipline and good decision making in a couple of crucial moments.

In the week leading up to the Triple Crown match against Ireland at Croke Park, I hammered home to the Welsh players the importance of retaining their discipline and that's why I was so annoyed when Mike Phillips was sent to the sin bin for reacting. I warned them of what to expect in terms of the talking and the jersey pulling and little things that are meant to distract players.

I mean it in a positive way and as a compliment when I say that Munster play with a cuteness that occasionally sidetracks opponents.

They know when to go down with an injury to take a break at an opportune time to take the pace out of the match.

They know how to distract opposing players and try to get them thinking about things other than the rugby.

They unsettle sides, break their rhythm using the odd word here and there.

This is not being critical of them but rather pointing out that there are many ways in which they break down teams.

If they elicit any reaction, then Munster will always prevail. When Rua Tipoki was sent to the sin bin, the last thing Alan Gaffney wanted was for not one but two of his players to join the Munster player.

I know that Saracens actually survived that spell and even managed to kick a penalty but at the time of the first yellow card they had just reduced the deficit in the match and had established some momentum. If they had retained their full complement then who knows what might have transpired.

It goes back to those small margins in tight games. The pivotal moment though was Alan Quinlan's try. It came at just the right time and demonstrated Munster's brilliant facility to switch from one style of play to another.

They know when to keep it tight through the forwards, when to punt for the corners but when the opportunity arises or when they sense a weakness they are equally happy to cut loose.

Their reward for being bold in approach was that try.

Saracens will no doubt reflect on what might have been but they'll be proud of the manner in which they came within a whisker of confounding most of the pundits' pre-game suggestions as to the outcome.

It's funny how London Irish's fate mirrored that of Saracens as they managed to get themselves in a position to win the match but just couldn't close the deal. There's definitely an element of pressure on the decision maker in those circumstances: those that have been there before tend to react with a little more clarity of thought.

The sign of any good team is their ability to function in adversity and then respond. Toulouse did it, so too Munster.

It is definitely the final that all the neutrals would have wished for prior to last weekend.

It pits the premier team in European competition historically against an outstanding team that stands on the cusp of joining an elite that have won the competition on more than won occasion.

It should be a great final and that's what the tournament deserves. That's not taking anything away from London Irish and Saracens, who both enriched the competition with their achievements this season.