RUGBY:THE BIG days come thick and fast at this stage of the season, but the outcomes of tomorrow's Heineken Cup quarter-finals will determine the extent to which there are any more of them. Easter Sunday will be a campaign-defining day.
Victories for Munster against the Ospreys in Thomond Park (1pm) and Leinster away to Harlequins at the Stoop (3.30pm) would set up a mouth-watering, all-Irish semi-final at Croke Park on the first weekend of May after the ERC and the GAA concluded at times difficult and lengthy negotiations last Tuesday for Munster to hold a semi-final there.
However, defeat for either or both of the provinces would make for something of an anti-climax. This, despite Ireland’s first Grand Slam in 61 years and leading the way in the Magners League, as well as being among the eight teams remaining in Europe’s blue riband club competition. But such are the exacting standards being set in Irish rugby in recent times, especially by Munster.
The reigning and two-time champions are making their 100th appearance in the Heineken Cup and their 11th successive quarter-final, though their redeveloped, 26,000-capacity Limerick fortress will be staging its first quarter-final for five seasons.
With the recalled Denis Leamy Munster’s only change from the team which beat Leinster a week ago, 19 of the 44 players on duty in the last-day Six Nations’ shoot-out renew acquaintances: eight of Munster’s starting line-up along with two of their replacements, and nine of the Ospreys’ starting line-up including Tommy Bowe, who has been picked at fullback in the absence of Lee Byrne.
The holders are now judged by their own exacting standards, and to a degree so are Leinster. A sixth quarter-final appearance in eight years is no mean achievement, but pales by comparison to their neighbours, and another quarter-final exit could make the comparison even more odious.
The last time Leinster reached the semi-finals was that fateful day against Munster in Lansdowne Road three seasons ago. Given the events of last week in Thomond Park, that could inspire them or demoralise them. Hopefully, the former.
Brian O’Driscoll and Fitzgerald return to the Leinster line-up, and Bernard Jackman has also been named despite the knee injury he picked up against Munster. Shane Horgan and Girvan Dempsey drop to the bench in the reshuffle, which sees Rob Kearney return to fullback after Jonathan Sexton’s appeal against his two-week suspension was rejected yesterday.
Connacht return to the scene of arguably their finest hour when they face a daunting European Challenge Cup quarter-final against Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens this afternoon. It was at the charming midlands ground 11 seasons ago a side coached by Warren Gatland beat a Saints’ team coached by Ian McGeechan and featuring five Lions.
In the other half of the Heineken Cup draw, there are a couple of other little skirmishes today as well, as Cardiff play hosts to three-time winners Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium (3.30pm) and Geordan Murphy captains Leicester Tigers against Bath at the Walkers Stadium (6pm).
There are also promotion, play-off and relegation issues across all three divisions of the AIB League and several club finals. It’s that kind of holiday weekend.
