ALISON MOORE says odds-on favourites Munster are beatable and that Leinster have the game-breakers to emerge victorious if Brian O'Driscoll and his team-mates deliver on their potential
SO HERE we are, facing into another Munster versus Leinster Heineken Cup semi-final in Dublin and all the associated hoo-ha it entails. Matches between these sides always bring that extra little something, you might call it banter, you might call it bite, but it is certainly not “just a game”.
The last outing, known in Leinster quarters as Black Sunday, has been used as a stick to beat the team and its supporters with many times since then, and it still hurts. It was closer than the scoreline suggested – which due to therapy I find myself happily unable to recall – but certainly we were roundly beaten.
You know what they say though: that which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and in that respect I suppose the Leinster supporters should be grateful to their Munster counterparts. That sea of red in Lansdowne Road in April 2006 was in some ways responsible for awakening the more laid back element of the Leinster support and galvanising what was an already growing support base.
In brief, it made us wise up.
No more, “after you, sir” with our ticket allocation for a start. We’ve taken a leaf out of the Munster supporter’s handbook (imitation and flattery and all that don’t you know) and developed a bit of our own cute hoorism to ensure that as many Leinster supporters get to see their team on the big occasion. You might not like it, but we are standing up for ourselves and marking our territory.
In 2005/6 Leinster’s season ticket holders numbered under 3,000; today there are 10,000 of us. Last year Leinster was the best-supported team in the Magners League and the fourth-best-supported team in Europe in all competitions after Stade Toulousain, Stade Francais and Leicester Tigers.
Away from the RDS, more and more men, women and children are taking to the road in blue to support their team. Not just to the high-profile matches in the south of France, mind, but also to the somewhat less glamorous destinations in deepest, darkest Wales.
Our supporters are true blues. Ignore the oft-repeated and frankly ignorant stereotyping; both the team and its supporters are representative of the province as a whole. We might not have a stage play in our repertoire but we certainly have passion. Leinster supporters have come through bad times and grown in number regardless. Success in Europe will be all the sweeter.
Anyone who witnessed the unrelenting display of Leinster support in the Twickenham Stoop against Harlequins on Easter Sunday by the 2,500 or so who travelled will know the Blue corner is going to come out swinging today. It’s a given that the Munster supporters will have plenty to say about it, so you can safely predict that the noise level in Croker will be something to rival the nosiest of Kerry-Dublin clashes.
So, while Leinster supporters are certainly primed for the off-pitch battle, what of the match itself? Despite some noises coming from Munster attempting to indicate otherwise, there can be no doubt the defending champions are the red-hot favourites. Sure haven’t they barely lost a match all year? Didn’t they just humiliate the Ospreys, a team full of Welsh internationals, in the quarter-final? Haven’t they the largest representation of any single team in the Lions squad, including the captain? Yes, yes, yes and yes again. The much-loved underdog billing is no more.
In 2006, Leinster had just come off that magnificent, “total rugby” win in Toulouse and were supposedly riding high. Munster, meanwhile, had achieved a more pedestrian home victory against Perpignan. While their history in the tournament gave them the edge, they still had the underdog, grafter tag they thrived under while Leinster were the soft-up-front, inconsistent flash Harrys.
These days, Leinster have developed some steel. They have learned how to grind out victories but only intermittently get their talented backline in full flow. Munster in 2009 are an all-conquering, two-time European Cup-winning side with some incisive backs, including Doug Howlett, the record-holding All Black try scorer if you don’t mind. Not quite role reversal, but there is a different complexion on today’s match than in 2006.
Quite reasonably, all expectation is for a Munster victory. Liam Toland, a columnist in this paper, last week on Setanta asserted that Munster could expect to take on any international side and win, such was their devastating form. No pressure there then.
The challenge for Leinster, seemingly unshackled by expectation, whatever about desire, is to make like David and slay Goliath.
The team has developed more edge and guile since Black Sunday and must couple this with their undoubted talent and make it count. Having played each other six times since that fateful day, the head-to-head stands at three-all, so Leinster have it in them to win today.
Rest assured that neither the team nor the supporters will be there to simply make up the numbers. Munster are good, sure, but Leinster aren’t scared of them. We have the game-breakers to take them today, and if Messrs O’Driscoll (God protect him!), Elsom, Heaslip, Fitzgerald et al have anything to say about it they will.
Given the “no chance mate” ascribed to Leinster’s prospects by all but the bluest Blues, perhaps this will be our miracle match and the stuff of legend to come. Blue Saturday anyone?
Redemption awaits. Keep the faith.
Alison Moore is a medical journalist from Dublin and committee member of the Official Leinster Supporters Club
