RUGBY: MUNSTER v OSPREYSSUCH HAS been the manner in which the tyros have stated their case in recent months that Tony McGahan admits he and his coaching staff have several selection posers before finalising his side to face the Ospreys in Saturday's semi-final at Thomond Park (kick-off 6.30pm).
“Following the last game we’ve got selection issues all the way across the board, from frontrow to the back three really,” conceded the Munster coach yesterday.
The likes of Conor Murray, who has started six of Munster’s last eight games, and Simon Zebo, who has made five starts since mid-February and followed up his match-winning try away to the Scarlets with another against Connacht, have made big strikes recently, while Danny Barnes and Stephen Archer have also broken into the team of late.
“You can also add Ian Nagle (who misses out this week), who’s made a big impact this year, and Peter O’Mahony, who was also in the first 23 in the first phase until he got a neck injury that ruled him out for three months. So you’ve got about six young guys who’ve made an impact and got selected for big games. That’s been pleasing and adds to a tough selection for this week.”
McGahan has strengthened his hand for the semi-final by recalling several frontliners who were rested from the squad on duty in the 22-6 win over Connacht last Friday. Lifeimi Mafi, Keith Earls, Conor Murray, James Coughlan, David Wallace, Mick O’Driscoll, Donncha O’Callaghan and Tony Buckley are all recalled, with young flanker Tommy O’Donnell, Alan Quinlan, Ian Nagle and Denis Hurley making way.
So, in effect, aside from long-term injuries, the only player missing from the squad on duty in the Amlin Challenge Cup defeat to Harlequins two weeks ago is the Sale-bound Sam Tuitupou, who is again ruled out with a hamstring.
Donnacha Ryan sat out Tuesday’s session at Thomond Park with a slight back strain but is expected to be fit, and McGahan said there is a mood to atone for the Harlequins disappointment.
“I think there’s a real steely resolve about what we need to do. It’s more about us and where we need to get to with our attitude this week, rather than anything else, such as who we’re playing or the stakes.
“There’s a real desire amongst the group to get our attitude right and turn up on Saturday and deliver.”
This will be the fifth meeting of the sides this season, and 10th in three seasons, and McGahan is anticipating “just as close an encounter as the previous ones. In the last three years we’ve met a lot, so there’s definitely a bit of familiarity between both groups and the two managements.
“There’s no doubting the quality of their side. In the last three seasons they’ve got to two Heineken Cup quarter-finals and won two Magners Leagues in recent times, and played some really good rugby.
“They’ve had some days they wouldn’t like to remember, like most professional sides,” McGahan added knowingly, “but I think overall you can’t deny the quality of player they have or the results they’ve put in.
“There has been very little between the sides in any of the games we’ve played this year and I imagine there won’t be any difference this Saturday either. They’ve copped a lot of flack in the past, but you only have to look at their results to see they are a really good side.
“There will certainly be no fear factor for them when they come to Thomond Park this weekend, as they showed last year with the ability to win on the road, highlighting that ability with the win over Leinster in the RDS to claim the title, and they won’t be giving up the title so easy this year.”
As Sean Holley has said this week, to a degree Munster and the Ospreys beat each other up physically and cancelled each other out in the Heineken Cup, thereby letting Toulon slip through as pool winners.
“Yeah, to an extent. It was a really tough campaign, and both our games went down to the wire before both home sides won. They were both really tough games and both sides had the opportunity to go through, but neither of us grabbed that opportunity.”
MUNSTER(squad): Felix Jones, Doug Howlett, Danny Barnes, Johne Murphy, Lifeimi Mafi, Keith Earls, Simon Zebo, Paul Warwick, Ronan O'Gara, Tomás O'Leary, Peter Stringer, Conor Murray, James Coughlan, Denis Leamy, Niall Ronan, David Wallace, Donnacha Ryan, Mick O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan, Stephen Archer, John Hayes, Tony Buckley, Damien Varley, Mike Sherry, Wian du Preez, Marcus Horan.
** An IRFU spokesperson has rejected reports emanating from South Africa that one-time Springboks prop Os du Randt is to take up a short-term contract to work with the Irish squad at the World Cup.
“There is no truth in that story whatsoever,” said the spokesman.
“Greg Feek is our scrum coach for the World Cup and there will be no additions to the Irish coaching team.”
