Leinster in pole position to progress

RUGBY: Leinster remain best placed of the three Irish provinces in the Heineken European Cup to qualify for the knockout stages, with Munster facing one of those traditional, do-or-die moments of truth at Thomond Park that they normally thrive on when they welcome old adversaries Castres next Saturday.

One of only four sides with three wins from the first half of the pool stages, Leinster have done little wrong so far although coach Declan Kidney made the valid point after Saturday's record 92-17 rout of a hapless Bourgoin that as things stand his side have merely done what they would have been expected to do at this juncture, namely winning two home games as well as victory in Italy against Treviso.

That result, however, is looking better with each passing week as the Italians' home win over Bath on Saturday currently puts them second in Pool Two and seemingly Leinster's main threat. Nevertheless, the results and fixtures appear to have fallen well for Leinster, and victory next Friday night in the return fixture against Bourgoin, coupled with a Bath win at home to Treviso the next day, could leave them eight or nine points clear at the top of the pool heading into their January run-in at the Rec and at home to Treviso.

Despite evidence to the contrary at Lansdowne Road on Saturday evening, Kidney was doing his best to assure anyone prepared to listen that victory in the Stade Pierre Rajon next Friday is not a fait accompli.

"I've been lucky enough to be in this competition for a while and it's extremely difficult to win both of these (back-to-back) matches. I'm also aware of some of the changes they can make to their team. You'd be surprised the difference two or three changes can make and your attitude has to be right to win away in France. They're just a completely and utterly different team at home. That (Saturday's romp) won't happen next week."

Even so, Leinster will be disappointed not only if they don't go on and qualify, but also secure a home quarter-final. Munster faced a different animal altogether in Castres last Friday night but they also have their destiny pretty much in their own hands and given they captured a bonus point despite a rusty, and often unambitious performance, the 19-12 defeat was hardly a disaster.

Victory over the French team, all the more so if they deny Castres a bonus point, and better still pick up one themselves for scoring four or more tries, would leave them on top of Pool Four. Even so, they don't have as much margin for error as Leinster do.

Again, provided results elsewhere aren't doing them too much harm. Gavin Henson kicked eight penalties to steer the Neath-Swansea Ospreys to a 24-7 home win over Harlequins yesterday, effectively extinguishing the hopes of the London club - who host Munster at Twickenham in the last round of pool matches in January.

Munster and Castres will be meeting for a record ninth time in the competition next Saturday and familiarity has bred a fair amount of contempt over the years. The Castres flanker Paul Volley has ensured there will again be a fair whiff of cordite in the Limerick air with his attempts to intimidate Ronan O'Gara during Friday night's game and then threaten the Munster outhalf off camera before the post-match interviews with what he would do to him next Saturday.

Ulster will be striving to extend their unbeaten Euro record at Ravenhill over the last three seasons when entertaining Stade Francais next Saturday, whom they trail by 10 points in what was always going to be an imposing task to qualify from Pool Six.

Elsewhere yesterday, Leicester won an epic encounter against defending champions Wasps by 37-31 in the so-called Battle of Britain and will be in pole position in Pool One if they can win the return meeting at home next Sunday.

Newcastle picked up a bonus point in their 34-24 win at home to Edinburgh to maintain their 100 per cent record and move above the Dragons in Pool Five.