Frank Schnittger
The last round of the URC went about as well as could have been hoped for the Irish provinces. Leinster had a facile win over a game Ospreys side to secure home knock-out matches up to the final. You have to feel for the constant humiliation of Welsh fans.
Connacht and Munster had hard fought victories over Edinburgh (away) and the Lions in Thomond Park to secure their knock-out places. A very understrength Ulster side fell only to a Glasgow try in the dying minutes of the match which means they lose out on the play-offs but could knock Connacht out of their Champion’s Cup spot if they beat Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final on Friday night.
The Irish provinces thus match the South African franchises with three out of the eight play-off places, but have, in addition reached the finals of the Champions and Challenge cups. Scotland and Wales must make do with one place apiece after Cardiff’s hard fought win over the Stormers.
Glasgow will now host Connacht, Leinster host the Lions, the Bulls host Munster, and the Stormers have a chance of revenge against Cardiff in Cape Town. You’d have to favour four home wins in the quarter finals, but the best ever URC season has been full of surprise results.
Leinster will have had tougher training sessions than the match against Ospreys but will appreciate the opportunity to practice their defensive and attacking patterns and give some players returning from injury a run out.
There is now a real possibility that their Champion’s cup squad will contain no non-Ireland eligible players. Furlong and Clarkson will likely play ahead of Slimani, Snyman is injured, and where do you play Ioane ahead of form players like Ringrose, Lowe, and Tommy and Jimmy O’Brien?
It was good to see Larmour back from injury and I thought Frawley played better than Byrne. But will Cullen have the balls to pick Frawley to start the Champion’s Cup final?
Connacht have found that vital 1% edge to take their scores when the opportunity arises. Edinburgh weren’t far behind them in endeavour but simply couldn’t take their scores when the opportunities came.
Once again, Prendergast led from the front – such a contrast to his younger brother – but Devine once again underlined the gain he will be for Ulster next season. What other Irish scrum half would have scored his match determining try? He has the insouciance and pace to make it to the top.
You had to fear for Munster after they had three late changes with Crowley, Nankivell, and Wycherley withdrawing. Missing your top four locks – Beirne, Kleyn, Edogbo and Wycherley – against a side as physical as the Lions doesn’t make things any easier. Ahearn was also injured during the match which meant Munster had to bring Coombes on in the second row.
But the whole team rose to the occasion with Evan O’Connell playing a stormer. Two yellow cards for deliberate knock-ons in what seemed honest intercept attempts didn’t help their cause. The pity of it was they didn’t kick for goal with a late penalty as that could have guaranteed Connacht seventh place and a Champion’s cup spot regardless of who wins the Challenge Cup. I guess they had other priorities in mind!
Ulster will feel rightly disappointed not to have beaten Glasgow even with a weakened team and thus failed to make the playoffs and a guaranteed Champions cup spot for next year. Hopefully, they won’t have too many players out with injury for the final. It would be easy to fall between two stools and end up with nothing to show for a much improved season.
Quite a few of their squad have put themselves in contention for the Ireland tour down under in July despite the heightened competition for every seat on the plane. Tom O’Toole’s ability to play both sides of the scrum should stand to him or will Farrell pick the rising stars, Billy Bohan, a specialist loosehead or Sam Illo, a tight head?
Tom Stewart has consolidated his position as third hooker and ditto Doak at scrum half. Nick Timoney’s place as understudy to Van der Flier should be secure, but how do you accommodate players with the potential of the Ward brothers?
Despite Munster’s travails, there is a lot to be positive about in Irish rugby at the moment.