TODAY IS A DAY FOR MUNSTER REVENGE

Salary cap may not apply to the Champions Cup but Saracens ended the Reds’ European run twice with squads that were built by cheating

HUNDREDS of games, thousands of moments, and yet most of them end up blending into one another. The nerve-racking international or Heineken Cup days will always be treasured of course, but by and large a professional rugby career is like everything else, the details largely fade as the years pass.

There are a few exceptions though, standout turns along the road, changes of direction of career-changing significance. One such occasion was, incredibly to my mind, 20 years ago last week, a showdown with an English side who could intimidate you with their team-sheet alone.

Francois Pienaar, Danny Grewcock, Richard Hill, Tony Diprose, Thierry Lacroix, George Chuter… they didn’t have the same European pedigree that the current Saracens squad have – neither did Munster, to be fair – but boy, they had quality to burn.

Pienaar was already an iconic figure in the game on the back of his 1995 Rugby World Cup heroics, Lacroix was past his prime at fly-half but still a commander-in-chief to be feared, while they had so many internationals in their pack that Paul Wallace had to settle for a place on the bench.

Sunday, November 28, 1999 would become one of my most treasured European days. A rugby story Rocky Balboa would have been proud of; we were hanging on for dear life at times in Vicarage Road, trailing 18-3 and then 21-9.

An ‘Axel’ Foley try got us back into the contest before Jeremy Staunton’s late effort set the stage for a Ronan O’Gara special; his conversion snatching a 35-34 knockout victory in the 12th round.

It was much bigger than a regular pool-game success; that much was obvious in the jubilant dressing-room afterwards.

That was a day where we individually and collectively grew in confidence, a day when European glory no longer seemed out of reach.

Our travelling support probably consisted of no more than 30 people, mostly parents and officials, a world away from where the game is now. A one-point success against Sarries at Thomond Park six weeks later was nearly as sweet.

Northampton tripped us at the final flight the following May and we had to wait six years to complete the journey, but that coming-of-age performance at Saracens in November 1999 was a critical juncture along the way.

Fast-forward 20 years, and an awful lot has changed. Careers have ended. Professional rugby is almost unrecognisable. The clubs have won five Champions Cups between them; and Vicarage Road’s rugby days are long since finished, although it would probably be a welcome distraction at the moment, considering the fortunes of manager-less, bottom-of-the-table Watford in the Premier League.

Evolution

And yet for all of the evolution within the game, plenty remains the same. Saracens still cannot squeeze all of their world-class players into a starting XV, they continue to seem a bit soulless and manufactured, and a victory against them – home or away – would be just the fillip that Munster need to shatter the notion that the Champions Cup semi-finals is their limit.

The narrative around Saracens has changed too; they are now

producing their own players through an impressive academy system as they chase some form of sustainability.

That’s something they are doing right at least, because, evidently, they have also done an awful lot wrong, and that remains relevant every time they run onto the field.

It will not only be pertinent as long as they get booed around England, or until chairman Nigel Wray starts attending away fixtures again – their salary-cap breaches will hang over them for years to come, in Europe as well as the Premiership.

Publicly, Munster’s players may be dismissive of the notion that they should feel aggrieved having been dumped out of Champions Cup semifinals by Saracens twice in the past three seasons, insisting that their indiscretions do not apply in this sphere.

Privately, it will be a different story. The salary cap may not apply to Europe but the reality is, Saracens ended Munster’s European run twice with squads that were assembled and maintained through cheating.

It is absolutely relevant. I’d be stunned if it’s not shouted about in Thomond Park’s home dressing-room as 5.30pm approaches this evening.

Could you imagine Mick Galwey, Keith Wood or Paul O’Connell ignoring that kind of inflammatory material when it came to delivering their prematch battle cry? Not a hope. The speech practically writes itself.

“Every time you see those three stars on that Saracens jersey I want you to remember how they were achieved, what they were prepared to do at home and abroad to win trophies.

“I want you to remember how f***ing hollow you felt after those cheating b ***** s dumped us out of two semifinals, we owe these f ***** s one. Today is the day for revenge.”

Breaches

The game has changed immeasurably since 1999 but tactics for human motivation haven’t, even if there is probably less ranting and raving done in the sheds nowadays.

Motivation will be high for Munster today anyway as they simply cannot afford to drop any more points at home in a pool of three heavyweights.

When Saracens were pinged for salary-cap breaches there was very little surprise across the professional game, and that speaks volumes. There is outrage across the professional game in England now though; Exeter have even threatened to take legal action.

Munster should be motivated by bitterness, and remember too that the effects of financial doping, just like the use of steroids, will not suddenly stop now that Sarries have been punished.

There hasn’t been a big clear-out of players; with Elliot Daly now in the squad, they actually have a stronger first XV than last year.

From the outside it may seem a bit false, uncomfortably clinical. But within, they are building something special. There is a band of very talented brothers growing together and they are comfortable being cast as the villains. Being disliked is nothing new for Saracens.

For Munster to beat the European champions, even a side that is missing the likes of Daly, Owen Farrell, Jamie George and Vunipola brothers Billy and Mako, they have to be brave and ruthless.

They weren’t cut-throat enough against Racing, at times running back into contact when space had been created out wide. Old habits can be hard to shift.

Munster’s defence also has to be sharper and better connected. If you show Saracens a crack in the wall, they will punch a hole through it before you get a chance to call for reinforcements.

There is nothing humdrum about this, it’s do or die. This is a day to stand up and fight, a day to make memories that will last a lifetime.