Same old Munster just keep winning

RUGBY:There are same old recipes and there are same old recipes, but you could never tire of what Munster served up yesterday in revisiting the city of their finest hour. The Heineken European Cup champions' 22-12 win at Cardiff Arms Park encapsulated the Irish provinces' weekend in Europe: not perfect but very productive.

It's a tried and trusted formula. Absorb home-fired pressure with a big defensive display, crank up the intensity when the pack have a sniff of the line to maul a try off a lineout, watch Ronan O'Gara bisect the posts at every opportunity, lead from the front and let the opposition play catch-up with increasing desperation.

In deplorable conditions, missing seven of their frontliners and sometimes roughed up by a big Cardiff pack, Munster were far from fluid, but they have the experience, the savvy and the confidence to hang tough when the going gets tough.

In so doing, Munster equalled the tournament record of 11 successive wins set by Leicester, auspiciously enough, during the back-to-back triumphs in 2002 and 2003, and saw the tournament's leading points scorer, O'Gara, take his haul to 803.

They also set a tournament record of six consecutive away wins, though that includes a semi-final in Lansdowne Road and a final in "neutral" Cardiff against Biarritz.

If not quite on the scale of that occasion, the Red Army invaded the Welsh capital again, more than doubling their official allocation of 2,000 in the 13,000 venue.

"It's amazing how many Munster fans got tickets but good luck to them," observed Cardiff coach Dai Young aloud.

"They're brilliant," said the winners' coach, Declan Kidney. "They rowed in behind when we needed a bit of support and it's a privilege to represent them."

Kidney admitted Munster's discipline and execution were not of the best. O'Gara expanded on his post-match assertion in the dressingroom that it was a good result if not a good performance, which Paul O'Connell echoed.

"I think we lacked a bit of composure at times. It was a day for treasuring the ball and very often we didn't do that. A sloppy start in both halves was disappointing but we showed good experience and got it back on track."

He lauded the veteran Shaun Payne, "one of our best players, as he usually is" and debutant prop Darragh Hurley, "a bit of a freak in a lot of things he's doing in the gym, and he's exactly what you want in a player coming through: just a fabulous attitude."

What light relief there was came by dint of a search for replacement shorts for Donncha O'Callaghan, whose willingness to continue in red underwear appeared beyond the call of duty.

"He's a marketing dream at the moment," joked O'Connell, attributing the colour of the briefs to O'Callaghan's superstition.

Modesty forbids they slap themselves on the back after such a win, so instead Young did. Highlighting their ability to grind out a win by taking their opportunities, notably when down to 14 men, he added: "We've got huge respect for Munster and we know that they're hugely formidable at home, so we're under no illusions about next week whether we won or lost today."

Young conceded Munster are a template for his team: "We're big fans. We rejoiced last year when Munster won it, being Celts. We were right behind them. We've been big admirers of what they've done over the years. Irish provincial rugby is certainly up there but let's not forget it's taken a long time to get there, and we're closing the gap."

There were garlands aplenty from both sides for the Munster back three of Payne, Ian Dowling and Tomás O'Leary for surviving Cardiff's aerial bombardment, Young conceding his team overdid the tactic.

More pertinent than any tournament records, Munster's third win from three games maintained their lead in Pool Four and one of only four unbeaten records in the competition, along with Llanelli and what appear the main threats to their hold on the trophy, Biarritz and Stade Français.

But whereas Biarritz are making hay in the weakest pool, and seem certain to obtain another home quarter-final in San Sebastian, Munster look like being chased all the way to their last-day date with Leicester in Thomond Park, who still trail Munster by four points but now have two games in a row at home.

At least Leicester failed to add to their three first-half tries in Bourgoin on Friday night for a bonus point.

Gloucester's thumping win over Edinburgh has enabled Leinster to top Pool Two. Even so, they'll need to mix it with the bludgeoning Agen pack again next week and complete a double to consolidate their small lead.

Captain Simon Best virtually conceded Ulster's qualification hopes had been dashed for the eighth successive year on foot of another flawed away performance, against London Irish on Saturday. To have any hope, they need Toulouse to beat Llanelli next weekend and win their three remaining games, at home to London Irish next Friday and then at home to Llanelli and away to Toulouse.

It looks a very long shot now.