| Provinces bring back the feel-good
factor By Gareth Makim
 Just what do you say
about the Irish provinces and the Heineken Cup? Munster and Leinster defied
the nay-sayers that had written them off after opening day defeats to
progress to the quarter-finals in style.
Munster, who more than any other team epitomise the spirit of the tournament
despite having never won it, again triumphed at Fortress Thomond Park
over a Sale Sharks side left in no doubt that it had bitten off more than
it could chew.
While Munster steamrollered Sale under an unstoppable red wave, the traditionally
more delicate and deliberate artists of the Leinster back line stitched
their English opponents up from the off. The back line of Shane Horgan,
Gordon D’Arcy, Brian O’Driscoll and Denis Hickie was irresistable,
with O’Driscoll in particular marking a return to something near
his pre-Lions form.
Munster will host Perpignan at Lansdowne Road, hoping that the trip to
Dublin will not dilute the magic of Thomond, while Leinster face the daunting
trip to champions Toulouse and former teammate Trevor Brennan. Although
it was the draw nobody wanted, Leinster will be just glad to be there
and will be aware that on their day they have the talent to instil fear
in the very best.
But with these games not taking place for another two months, the confidence
gained by last weekend’s results could have a larger impact on the
upcoming Six Nations Championship. After such a disappointing autumn,
Munster and Leinster have provided the shot in the arm that Irish fans
needed ahead of what is expected to be a tough campaign for the national
side.
Munster displayed exactly the sort of forward power that will be necessary
to disrupt the powerful English and French packs, while Leinster showed
the speed and precision that could take on and beat the flying Welsh back
line at their own game.
Indeed it is entirely plausible that at some point during the championship
we see an entirely Munster front five and the complete Leinster three-quarter
line taking the field. How Eddie O’Sullivan must wish that he could
utilise the bountiful gifts of Leinster’s Argentinian out-half Felipe
Contepomi. The pressure will be on Ronan O’Gara to offer the same
quality of ball to O’Driscoll and co. as his Leinster counterpart.
There is pressure too on O’Sullivan, not least to extract the type
of performance from John Hayes that he delivered on Saturday, as he does
so often for Munster, in the green of Ireland. Hayes has looked tired
and sluggish on the international stage for some time now, yet the call
of Munster still seems to rouse the giant prop from his slumber.
The challenge facing Hayes mirrors somewhat that of the squad as a whole.
If the form guide is to be believed, Ireland will struggle to break into
a top three of France, England and Wales, but if the squad can reproduce
the performances they have put in for their provinces of late, then Ireland
might just be in a position to contend.
At the very least, after a disappointing 12 months, the feel-good factor
is finally back in Irish rugby.
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