Munster must take roundabout route

RUGBY/European Cup:Munster will play Gloucester at Kingsholm (5.30pm) on Saturday, April 5th, in their Heineken European Cup quarter-final. The game will be televised live by Sky Sports.

The dates, times and television arrangements were confirmed in Cardiff yesterday along with the semi-final draw, which decreed Munster will travel to England or Wales if they beat Gloucester.

The winner of the Gloucester-Munster match will play either the number one seeds from the pool stages, Saracens, or Ospreys, who meet in another of the quarter-finals. There is thus the fascinating possibility the Irish province will come up against their former coach and current Saracens director of rugby, Alan Gaffney. The Saracens-Ospreys match-up was pulled out of the hat first in the semi-final draw, thus giving the winners of that quarter-final the choice of semi-final venue.

London Irish will kick-off the weekend of European fare when they host Perpignan at the Madejski Stadium (April 5th, 3pm) before attention turns to Kingsholm. On Sunday, April 6th, Saracens host the Ospreys (12.30pm) and Toulouse welcome Cardiff to Stade Ernest Wallon (3pm Irish time). All four quarter-finals will be screened live on Sky Sports.

The Exiles have already met Perpignan in their pool, beating them in Reading, and would be slight favourites to progress to a likely semi-final against the three-time European champions Toulouse in England, Twickenham being the likely venue.

The semi-finals will take place on April 26th and 27th.

Gaffney, who will leave Saracens at the end of the season, was in charge at Munster from 2002 to 2005, leading them to two semi-finals and a quarter-final during his time at the helm. Yesterday he was at pains to avoid comment on a potential reunion with Munster but briefly relented.

"I'm not trying to look beyond that (the Ospreys game). But yeah, if we do happen to beat the Ospreys and Munster managed to go to Kingsholm and win, which no one has done for 20 months, then . . . It's very unlikely but it is there at the back of my mind and I'll think about it over the next few months."

Of more immediate import for Munster is their clash with the Cherry and Whites, who lead the English Premiership, and coach Declan Kidney is likely to be happy with a largely familiar Saturday-evening slot.

His Gloucester counterpart, Dean Ryan, was measured in his assessment of the game.

"It's difficult to see past that home quarter-final. It's going to be a fantastic game against Munster. If we come through that we have to go to Saracens or the Ospreys, but . . . our thoughts are dominated by Munster.

"This is the top end of Europe and for us to progress is fantastic and to be in control of the group and have a home tie is a great reward for the progress that has gone on in the last 12 months.

"Munster is a fantastic game, the fans have got a great affiliation with each other and whatever the capacity of the new Kingsholm it will be well exceeded in the bars around the ground.

"We have got to play well and it is a new experience for us at this level and knowing what kind of game is needed, while Munster have lots of experience as this as their 10th time (in the knockout stages) . . . and they know how to get their game to turn up.

"There are some new faces (in the quarter-finals) this year and some of that is dictated by the seedings and how the groups are formatted, but Munster came through a tremendous group and deserve credit . . . They have outstanding players in the spine and bring an enormous amount of physicality to their game.

"As we have seen in recent weeks, that is very difficult to deal with, and they have brought their game to various weather conditions and various stadiums as well, whereas it will be a new experience for us. We know that when our game is going well we can compete at this level.

"If we get our performance right at Kingsholm you never know but we are up against a side which is experienced at this level. We've got home advantage but we have to play well."

What Ryan tactfully avoided mentioning is that Gloucester have twice beaten Munster at Kingsholm in the European Cup; the legendary Miracle Match at Thomond Park perhaps dominating the folklore of their previous duels.

Over 35,000 tickets have been sold for the Heineken Cup final at the Millennium stadium, including 5,000 in the last two days, and with the finalists allocated 15,000 apiece there are just a further 15,000 still available.

Meanwhile, Ulster were handed a timely fillip with the confirmation that Ryan Caldwell had rejected overtures from abroad and decided to sign a two-year extension to his contract.

An excellent prospect, Caldwell is a former Ulster Schools Senior Cup-winning captain (RBAI) and has played for Ireland at under-21 and A level.

Last-eight details

QUARTER-FINALS

London Irish v Perpignan, Madejski Stadium, 3pm April 5th; Gloucester v Munster, Kingsholm, 5.30pm April 5th; Saracens v Ospreys, Vicarage Road, 12.30pm, April 6th; Toulouse v Cardiff, Stade Ernest Wallon, 3pm (Irish) April 6th

SEMI-FINALS

London Irish or Perpignan v Toulouse or Cardiff, April 26th or 27th

Saracens or Ospreys v Gloucester or Munster, April 26th or 27th