WELL, WHEN God was giving out brains Edinburgh must have thought He said trains and asked Him for a slow one. Last week all four provinces bullied their opposition, and Connacht's half-time turn around was another marvellous step, writes Liam TolandRugby Analyst
So what have Leinster, Connacht and Munster taught us from their wins? Well, the key is to know when to bully and when to create. And in Ian Keatley, Felipe Contepomi and Ronan O'Gara, the winning teams had the brains to know the difference. Conversely, Edinburgh played without their top four inches in a game Leinster exploited totally.
Another European side that balances magic with madness effortlessly are the 1998 champions, Bath. They have an incredible, 15-man rugby ethic to the point of insanity. Time and again they disrespected Toulouse last weekend by tearing holes from deep inside their 22. They outplayed Toulouse in all aspects, but especially in their off-loading. If they could only figure out the delicate balance between magic and madness they would be serious contenders.
So if you haven't seen them before, check them out this Sunday where they welcome the Dragons. You're in for a treat, especially when you see the "Jersey Juggernaut", Waterford's Dan Shanahan's lookalike on the left wing. If you think Shane Horgan's big, wait till you see Matt Banahan, 21 years of age, 6ft 7in and 18st. He's only playing for a few years, having packed in representative hockey, and as you may imagine he started life in the "row".
Due to a prior engagement in Polje, Kosovo, I missed the first half live in Munster's opening outing. And when I walked in on the second half I was stunned by the silence in Thomond Park. It appeared dead on both sides of the fence. It was my first sighting of a ground that holds many memories for me, and although it looks amazing I was immediately filled me with dread.
Is it me, or are these state-of-the-art facilities changing the face of going to the "match" forever? The reduction of terraces does affect the crowd participation. There's no doubt Munster supporters are as committed as ever, but for lowly Montauban silence is golden. Thomond is the Mecca for European fixtures and the number one goal for the opposition is silence, which Montauban achieved throughout the night.
Munster's performance was shaky but they are going through a time of change. The geography of Thomand Park has changed dramatically with the new stands potentially affecting the homing device of kickers and lineout throwers alike. I can't wait to see it for real, but I'm sure the new atmosphere must be a little strange. It will take time.
Obviously their new coaching ticket are learning the ebb and flow of both the Magners League and now the Heineken Cup, where they remain committed to an off-loading game. But teams attempting off-loads as Munster did in Limerick must expect errors. That's why it's always so much easier to kick the bejasus out of the ball.
Over the course of the Tri-Nations, Magners League and now the Heineken Cup, I've watched with interest the development of team's tactics to the ELVs. There have been some great developments, more of which I'll address over the weeks, but one in particular has me perplexed: I really don't understand why we have witnessed the death of the lineout maul.
It seems teams have given up without a fight, accepting their fate of an early tackle. Yes, the opportunity to win at two and set up a solid maul is reduced. Gone, maybe, are the days where a side could walk a weaker (less drilled) side down the pitch, à la Munster and Leicester. In the recent past a team would use this tool to work the clock, for field position and ultimately a try.
What has amazed me is how precious little inventive thought has filled the void. Nothing has evolved save John Fogarty's try in the RDS against Edinburgh. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, if defending teams no longer focus on defending the lineout maul, they will shift their attention elsewhere. Backrowers will worry less about a maul and will focus on the opposition backline. So for the first time in years there is a considerable switching off in the lineout, which makes it ripe to use for attacking.
Looking back a decade or two to the rolling maul, where the ball and player would pivot away from the point of contact ever so slightly with ferocious aggression that was almost impossible to defend when executed well. Add to this the imbalance of numbers from the defending team. Unorthodox numbers defending a lineout can be exposed. The more you compete in the air the weaker the ground defence becomes.
So to this weekend and Declan Kidney's Irish team selection which starts the ball rolling on Lions places. For many reasons this weekend could be the most crucial of the season. Last week was a nice bridge between Magners League and Heineken Cup, but the real test has arrived in the shape of Sale, Wasps, Harlequins and London Irish. To add further interest, there are suggestions from across the water that a non-English European Cup final would suit the Lions tour, freeing up an all-English Lions team!
PS: Paul Warwick added real value to Munster on arrival last weekend - out of position but assured in everything he touched. Is he Irish qualified, Declan?
