European Champions Cup Semi Final Preview
So Ireland has teams back at the top table of European Rugby with Munster facing Saracens and Leinster taking on Clermont Auvergne in the Semi Finals of the Champions Cup in Dublin and Lyon respectively. Munster are first into action on Saturday at 3.15 where they face Saracens last season’s winners for a place in the showpiece Final in Murrayfield on May 13th.
Munster are hoping to make a first European Final since they took on Toulouse in 2008 in Cardiff. Ever since Anthony Foley passed away Munster have been on a quest to do his memory justice and by making the Pro 12 Semi Finals and now facing into a European Semi Final. Having secured a home quarter final and defeating Toulouse has set them up nicely for a crack at Saracens at the Aviva Stadium.
Munster may be missing Conor Murray through injury but may have CJ Stander back from an ankle complainant that has kept him side-lined since the win over Toulouse. Munster have shown this season that will stay going for 80 minutes and that quality will be crucial this Saturday against a team that have shown a real ability to go for 80 in the last two weeks against Northampton Saints and Harlequins.
Munster have shown great strength of character at different moments this season and it will be a real test of that character against Saracens this weekend. Rassie Erasmus and Jaques Nienber have worked extremely well to continue the work that Anthony Foley started a couple of seasons ago.
Both Felix Jones and Jerry Flannery have also flourished under Erasmus and there work at the set piece and back play is plain to see and has been a major factor in how far Munster have been able to go this year.
The squad itself has grown as the season has gone on and with a water tight defence they have been able to grind out results when it matters most. This game on Saturday is crucial to see have they learned the lessons of past games Vs Saracens and they will need every aspect of the game plan to go smoothly if they stand any hope of turning over a much fancied and much vaunted Saracens team led by Ulster man Mark Mc Call.
This game is extremely close to call and with Munster having home advantage they will fancy their chances even if they do not have Conor Murray at 9. If he is rules out a lot of pressure will be on his deputy Duncan Williams to perform and help to try and guide Munster to the Final.
Leinster take on familiar foes Clermont Auvergne this coming Sunday in France and like Munster have had a very good season where some of their younger players have stood up and taken responsibility at certain points this year when the more senior players like Sexton and O Brien has been missing through injury or other reasons.
Players like Gary Ringrose , Robbie Henshaw , Luke Mc Grath and Ross Byrne have come of age and have added that youthful spark that was missing last season although the hard lessons of last seasons have been learned from with Leinster reclaiming a place in the Pro 12 Semi Finals and a Semi Final spot in Europe as well by seeing off Wasps in Dublin in the quarter final a few weeks ago.
The time is now for both Munster and Leinster to strike a blow for the Celtic nations and also the Pro 12 in the battle for European supremacy. All the fun and games kick off at 3.15 this Saturday.
By
Cian Mc Gibney 17/04/2017
