Munster focused for a fierce battle

INJURED Munster captain Paul O’Connell believes the fiercely competitive nature of the province’s Heineken Cup group will focus the players’ minds as they bid to reach the knock-out stages of the competition for a 13th straight season. Munster open their European campaign with a difficult assignment against Aviva Premiership leaders London Irish at the Madejski Stadium this Saturday (5.45pm).


The two-time Heineken Cup champions host big-spending French side Toulon at Thomond Park a week later before resuming their pool fixtures with back-to-back games against the Ospreys in December.
Munster skipper O’Connell, who is hoping to be back playing competitively in December, believes the province had been drawn in an ‘incredibly tough’ group.
“You look at the draw on paper. Look at the squad and the experience that Toulon have,” O’Connell pointed out at the Irish launch of the Heineken Cup this week.
“I mean they may not have a history of winning or a history in the Heineken Cup, but everyone of their players have a history of winning and know how to win.
“Ospreys have massive ambitions in the Heineken Cup for years now. They have an incredibly strong squad. They won the Magners League. Obviously then you have London Irish who are top of the Premiership. They got great experience last year in the Heineken Cup.
“So, yeah it’s an incredibly tough group, but that’s the way it always has been with Munster and it really focuses the mind on every game.
“You can’t rest for one game and you can’t take your foot off the gas for one game.”
O’Connell has put back on 6kgs of the 10kgs he lost while battling the groin injury which has kept him sidelined since March.
O’Connell explained: “The injury is improving well. I’m not back in full training yet, hopefully that will happen in the next few weeks.
“I’ll have to do a bit of a min pre-season as I haven’t done a lot of running since the Scotland game in March. Then hopefully get out and get a few games. Hopefully, I will still be back before Christmas, but I don’t really know yet.”
O’Connell’s absence from competitive rugby has allowed him to spend more time than would normally be the case with his five and a half month old son Paddy, an experience he has enjoyed.
“It’s been good fun. If I hadn’t have had the injury I would have been away for the first four weeks on tour at the start. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone to have to do it on their own at the start, so it was great to be around for that. He’s piling it on, I wish I could get a bit of his metabolism.”
Munster coach Tony McGahan is hopeful Keith Earls will be available for selection for this weekend’s Heineken Cup pool opener with London Irish. However, hooker Jerry Flannery will not be available for selection for another week or two.
Munster centre Lifeimi Mafi attended a hearing in Belfast this Tuesday after a citing complaint was made against him in the wake of the province’s Magners League clash with Leinster.
Mafi was cited for an alleged dangerous tackle and allegedly punching or striking in an incident with Leinster’s Gordon D’Arcy in the 19th minute of the game. The hearing took place in the Ulster Branch offices in Ravenhill under the chairmanship of Hugh Logan.

Colm Kinsella