Soccer
Heineken final set for war of attrition
By Mitch Phillips
May 20, 2006, 08:39

LONDON, May 18 - (Reuters) - Munster are hoping it will be third time lucky when they face Biarritz in the Heineken Cup final on Saturday after being cruelly denied at the death in both their previous two final appearances.

In 2000 the Irishmen trailed Northampton 9-8 when Ronan O'Gara had the chance to win it in the last minute but hit the post with his penalty, making it four misses out of four on a wretched afternoon for the flyhalf.

Two years later, trailing 15-9 at the Millennium Stadium, Munster had a scrum close to the Leicester line but lost possession when former England flanker Neil Back sneakily knocked the ball out of scrumhalf Peter Stringer's hands as he fed. The officials missed it, the game continued and Leicester held out to take the trophy.


O'Gara and Stringer are back on duty on Saturday, both older, wiser and better, and they will need to reproduce the form they have shown together for Ireland in the last two years if Munster are to prevent Biarritz lifting the trophy in their first final.

Munster will certainly have the backing of the vast majority of the 74,000 Millennium Stadium crowd in Cardiff and their passionate, vocal fans, will be urging them to take that one final step.

The red-clad masses certainly played their part in the semi-final success over Irish rivals Leinster when Munster's power pack squeezed the life out of their seemingly more talented rivals.

MIGHTY PRESENCE

That proved again that they can perform when it matters away from their Thomond Park home and that even when the opposition know what they are going to do and how they plan to do it, they can do nothing to stop it.

Munster will not expect to score too many scintillating tries but they will not plan to concede any either.

Lock Paul O'Connell has been mighty presence in the run to the final and was at his peak in the semi.

"Our approach doesn't change for any game," said O'Connell, whose full recovery from an ankle injury is key to Munster's hopes.

"You just keep doing the same things over and over again, I suppose you could say it's a case of familiarity breeding success."


Biarritz have the depth of talent to play in just about any style but, after successive semi-final defeats in the last two years, they went into their shell somewhat as the nerves tightened in the knockout stage this season.

Against Sale and Bath in the quarter- and semi-finals they produced dour, risk-free rugby that bored the neutrals, produced just one try but delighted the home fans when it got them into the final.

Now they are there the likes of Damien Traille and Nicolas Brusque might be given their head but last year's French champions and current league leaders are unlikely to throw caution to the wind with the ultimate prize so close at hand.

POERFUL CHARGES

Consequently the careful kicking of scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili and the powerful charges of Thomas Lievremont, Jerome Thion, Serge Betsen and Sereli Bobo are likely to be the order or the day.

"We beat them in the quarter-finals last season (19-10 in San Sebastian) but we know they're a really strong team," Lievremont told reporters.

"They were ever so impressive in the semi-finals against Leinster. We know we are going to face a wall, it is a really frightening team. They are enormously strong up front, have a strong defence and halfbacks who know their rugby inside out.

"But our goal has never been to reach the final it has always been to lift the trophy."

A war of attrition, with victory going to the side who make the least errors, looks to be on the menu. Munster's awesome support will feel like an extra man and they will need it if Biarritz decide to turn on the style.


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