Leinster swarm all over Munster in the Heineken Cup Semi Final at Croke Park.
Picture by Colin Heyburn.
Congratulations to our Mexican cousins on their fantastic victory over “El Nabo de la” in this ferocious Heineken Cup Semi Final. What an advert for the Magners League!
Leinster were, quite simply, fantastic. There will be plenty of talk about how they “Out Munstered” Munster but that is not the true story for Munster have never played such an aggressive defensive game as this. Munster have always been something, well something more basic, they have produced the consummate team performance, with each player playing above and beyond their ability, they’ve fought and scrapped for wins and refused to be beaten, they have intimidated opponents and referees before a ball was kicked but in this game none of that counted – they were basically just ripped apart.
This game reminded me of the great fight between Leonard and Duran, but in this case it wasn’t rapier thrusts and show boating that forced Munster into the corner crying “No Mas, No Mas” but the sheer destructive power of the Leinster players in the tackle. They harried and hounded and sent Munster bumbling and stumbling backwards time after time. I haven’t seen Munster so outplayed since January 3rd 2009.
There will also be plenty of talk about the selection of some of the Munster players for the forthcoming Lions tour but that would be reading too much into this one off match. This was a game were Munster have been there before and got the tee shirts, and medals, to prove it. Leinster simply wanted it that bit more and raised their game accordingly, the Lions Tour will be a whole different ball game and the bog men will be determined to prove their worth after this defeat .However one player for whom this may have been one game too many is Quinlan who should now find himself with plenty of free time over the summer after his apparent eye gouge on Cullen.
Lets hope our Mexican friends can produce a similar performance in the final and add another Provence to the list of Heineken Cup Winners.
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