What are the European Cup organisers up to? Though the competition shines like a beacon in the murky professional era, the one thing it has persistently lacked is an established unchanging structure, what with constant changes in format, boycotts and fixtures being scattered like confetti over the season. So, what do they do? Scatter the competition even more.
The ERC's decision to play the pools over three two-weekly periods in September, October and January, with the knockout phases not concluding until the final on a scarcely credible June 1st, simply beggars belief. Who's brainstorm was this?
The ERC have been criticised from pillar to post for the fixtures schedule as it exists, from the likes of Gary Teichmann, Tim Horan and Dick Best, to name but three, and that's in the last week alone.
You'd struggle to find one player (but then, when are they ever consulted about fixture lists?), one coach or anyone involved with any of the participants who would find favour with this decision. Even people involved in the running of the tournament are staggered by last week's announcement.
To a degree, of course, they have been hamstrung by the lack of pan-European co-operation between clubs and unions alike and hence the lack of an extended window in the season. No doubt the ERC could also argue that the same sort of fixture scheduling applies in football, where the European Champions League runs in conjunction with domestic leagues. Even so, the revised scheduling is ridiculous.
As an aside, it's also desperately bad news for the Irish provinces, who are probably worse hit by this extended format than anyone else given they do not play as club teams. At least, not yet they don't. I'd venture that this revised Euro fixture scheduling will ultimately hurt the Irish clubs more than even the onset of the Celtic League, which now looks more imperative for the provinces than ever.
As last weekend proved, one mickeymouse friendly isn't the answer either when the provinces come out of enforced hibernation. Therefore, be it retaining the six-series interpros or keeping some blank weekends (on the premise, for a change, that the provinces will succeed rather than fail) if the union is going to give the provinces greater backing in Europe, it is clear that the clubs will have to suffer some more.
Each provincial coach and player to a man would probably concur with Harry Williams' strongly-worded belief that this season's fixture scheduling did not do enough to prepare the provinces for last weekend's resumption of Euro fare.
Ulster were ill-prepared for the tempo which Cardiff set from the off on Friday. Ditto Leinster, some of whom were blowing hard long before the end, for the endless passages of continuity from Edinburgh Reivers.
Granted there were warning shots in their second-half semi-collapse against Munster who, tellingly, finished much stronger again at Newport on Saturday. Though Munster's far more durable performance in a game of higher intensity undermines the argument, Leinster would assuredly have been better off and would probably have seen off the Reivers with a couple more games under their belt.
Place-kicking was a crucial contrast too. Yet you can't help but feel that the contrasts in the Munster and Leinster performances were as much tactical and mental as physical.
While Leinster might feel aggrieved over Ashley Rowden's penalty count of 16-10 to the Reivers (10-4 in the second half) even so Rowden's mantra of "roll away, roll away" ought to have registered more than it did. Joel Jutge had been equally consistent and persistent in denying any competition for ruck ball on the deck at Rodney Parade and Munster adapted from half-time by being far more disciplined thereafter.
Furthermore, Rowden's approach suited the Reivers' running and rucking game. David Officer's 57th-minute try to cut the deficit to 27-17 came off 14th phase and encapsulated their approach.
O'Meara and Hekenui consistently kicked the ball to an Edinburgh back-three which was willing to counter-attack all night. Five times Leinster had set-piece ball in their own half in the last 10 minutes when leading by 10 points, and five times the halves kicked it.
The latter two, by Hekenui, went straight to Craig Joiner and Chris Patterson in turn, with the wingers lying deep each time in ready anticipation. You couldn't fault the team's courage, but Leinster supporters, as is their wont, will look for scapegoats and the second half will add currency to the theory that closing out a match is not Hekenui's forte and either the decision-makers or Matt Williams got the end-game tactics wrong.
Nevertheless, coaches and players come and go, but Leinster's old failings remain intact. These don't just go back to last Friday, to the home game with Munster or Connacht at the Sportsground this season, but to the Sportsground two seasons ago (also a last-gasp defeat deep in injury-time), as well as blowing a 21-0 lead at home to Llanelli two seasons ago. It's uncanny actually.
It clearly goes deeper than personnel on the night. Their respective case histories ensure that Munster are used to winning, whereas Leinster seem almost scared of winning, and significantly this even dates back to their respective clubs in the AIL throughout the 1990s. It takes time to break cycles.
The pressure to win may even transmit itself from the spectators. Munster supporters tend not to get down on their players quite like some at Donnybrook do. The sense of fear is never in the air at Thomond Park or Musgrave Park. At Donnybrook, you can almost reach out and bite it.
gthornley@irish-times.ie
