Holders Munster will bid to complete a hat-trick of Heineken Cup wins over their Welsh opponents and secure a home semi-final in Europe’s premier club rugby competition.
The ‘sold out’ signs have been up for several weeks as two of the heavyweights in Celtic League rugby go head-to-head at 1pm on Sunday before a capacity attendance.
Up to 25 Irish and Welsh Grand Slam winners will be in direct opposition as the Heineken Cup resumes after a three-month break for the Six Nations Championship.
Sunday’s match will be refereed by Wayne Barnes, the official who took charge of Ireland’s Grand Slam match with Wales at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium last month.
Munster approach their 11th straight heineken Cup quarter-final appearance in confident mood after cementing the top spot in the Magners League thanks to a convincing victory over old rivals Leinster at Thomond park last weekend.
Resilient prop John Hayes is set to equal Anthony Foley’s record number of appearances in the Heineken Cup in Sunday’s tie.
Hayes, who received a huge ovation from the capacity attendance when initially substituted during the second half of Saturday night’s Magners League win over Leinster, is in line to make his 86th appearance in the Heineken Cup on Easter Sunday.
Thirty-five-year-old Hayes made his Heineken Cup debut against Petrarca Rugby in September 1998.
Heineken Cup holders Munster will hit the Heineken Cup century mark when they collide with the Ospreys in the mammoth quarter-final tie.
Munster coach Tony McGahan said he expected the Ospreys to prove formidable opponents.
“Although we have been in this position in the past and it is not a new experience for the players, we do have tremendous respect for the Ospreys - not only their international players but for all of those in a quality squad,” Mcgahan stressed.
“The Ospreys have got a pretty dangerous and confrontational pack of forwards, they run a good line-out and employ an aggressive defensive system. They also have a number of key individuals like Shane Williams, James Hook and Mike Phillips who can make long breaks and really attack and challenge opposing formations from deep.
“Aside of the result against Leinster on Saturday night the main satisfaction for me was seeing the integration back into the squad of our international players for our first game together for eight to nine weeks. They responded superbly and toughed it out against a very good side.
“However, while every side has some areas in which they would like to improve - and we are no different - we go into the quarter-final conscious that the main thing is to keep our focus on ourselves and what we are trying to do and the rest should follow.
“We do have a few players missing, such as key men like Frankie Sheahan and Rua Tipoki, but we are looking forward to what should be a great and magic day.”
McGahan’s opposite number at the Ospreys Sean Holley said he hoped the heightened expectation levels caused by Ireland’s success in claiming only their second Grand Slam would increase the pressure on Munster this weekend.
“Obviously Munster will have confidence and momentum and will be favourites, but we have got the incentive of a home semi-final in the Millennium Stadium and the dream of making the final. The disappointment of the Six Nations and the disappointment that this whole squad has from going out at the quarter-final last season will bin the fact that Ireland won a Grand Slam. We are just concentrating on ourselves and I hope Ireland’s Grand Slam will put more pressure on them.”
Access to Thomond Park
The automated turnstiles will not be in use at Thomond Park for Munster’s upcoming games with the Ospreys and Connacht as a result of issues which arose regarding access to the stadium for the Magners League tie with Leinster on Saturday night last.
Instead staff will operate hand-held scanners to control supporter access through the turnstiles.
In a statement, Thomond Park Stadium Director, John Cantwell said the decision had been taken ‘in order to improve the efficiency of access on match days whilst we undertake a full review of the automated system both internally and with our suppliers.’
John Cantwell acknowledged that there were a number of issues that arose regarding access into Thomond Park stadium at last Saturday’s Magners League clash against Leinster.
The Stadium Director continued: “We, Munster Rugby and Thomond Park Stadium, would like to apologise to anyone who was inconvenienced and affected by this.
There were a number of contributing factors, however following a review over the weekend and today we have identified that the automated access procedure (automated Turnstiles) are creating a bottleneck which is contributing to a significant proportion of the problem.
“We have therefore decided not to use the automated turnstiles for the next two matches in Thomond Park Stadium and will revert to staff operated hand held scanners controlling access through the turnstiles.
“This decision has been taken in order to improve the efficiency of access on match days whilst we undertake a full review of the automated system both internally and with our suppliers.”
John Cantwell said they would continue to ask all supporters to arrive at Thomond Park at least one hour before kick off on Sunday.
Colm Kinsella
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