Bachelor.ie: Heineken Cup Week 2 : The Four Provinces
Zebre V Connacht: There’s Always Hope
Zebre 6-33 Connacht
The whole of Ireland would cheer if Connacht pulled off a sneaky Lazarus act in this year’s Heineken Cup. And after a succinct annihilation over Zebre this weekend, the forgotten province made enough noise in Italy for all of Europe to hear.
Beating Zebre is not something to boast about. In fact of the teams within Connacht’s pool most would have expected Connacht to take two wins from them this tournament. But it’s this coupled with their performance against Saracens last week that provides food for thought. They didn’t win, but there was fight. And in a game pasted with bad decisions it was a battle that should have went their way.
Zebre opened with clear thoughts on victory, but were consistently unable find gaps in the Connacht defense. Connacht took this game by the scruff of the neck with a second minute penalty from Dan Parks, and held their composure till the final whistle; eager not to let more points slip away.
Parks was instrumental throughout. Converting and completing two penalties just before the half to give his side a comfortable 19-3 lead at the break. The Italians again came strong trying to take something from this, forcing Connacht to defend with grit. But despite the pressure no tries came with again Luciano Orquera taking a penality to slightly improve their position on the scoreboard.
But again Parks was there as Connacht almost lay in wait to give him the opportunities. Shutting the game down with a whiff for more penalties. Parks sailed three more penalties in quick succession before a final try from replacement Mata Fifita finished the Italians off.
With pride and a suborn determination Connacht flew home with the win, but lets wait and see how they do next week.
Zebre: Ruggero Trevisan, Dion Berryman, Tommaso Iannone, Gonzalo Garcia, David Odiete, Luciano Orquera, Brendon Leonard, Matias Aguero, Tommaso D'Apice, Dario Chistolini, Mike Van Vuren, Marco Bortolami (capt), Mauro Bergamasco, Dries van Schalkwyk, Samu Vunisa,
Connacht: James So'oialo, Danie Poolman, Robbie Henshaw, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Healy, Dan Parks, Kieran Marmion, Brett Wilkinson, Sean Henry, Rodney Ah You, Michael Swift (capt), Craig Clarke, Andrew Browne, Jake Heenan, George Naoupu.
Munster V Gloucester: Back to Business But . . .
Munster 26-10 Gloucester
This is nothing to get excited about. A Gloucester team with twelve changes from last week. The venue, the mighty Thomand. This wasn’t so much back on track but at least the Munster machine is moving in the right direction after the shock that was Murrayfield.
Munster appear to be adopting a new approach this season. Against Gloucester the released a ferocious physical assault. Battering the middle of the park while relying heavily on Ian Keatley again for points instead of their pacey wide men. Don’t get me wrong, it worked against the 'Cherry and Whites' and against Leinster in the Rabo, but this feel like a back up plan as if they were unable to replicate their style of years past.
Mike Tindall as per usual was the beating heart of Goucester’s efforts, at times taking on the red army single handedly but ultimately to no affect. As Keatley continued to sail penalties to ware down the Gloucester fight.
This was not a perfect game for Munster by a long shot. Conceding a try amongst foolish errors and through a Jonny Bentley penalty allowed Gloucester go down the tunnel only six points behind at 16-10 at the break.
The second half saw a less exciting array of passing with Gloucester stepping up their game in the scrums, but despite a lack of creativity Munster’s pure strength cancelled out any possibility of further points for the visiting Brits. Keatley kicked a fourth penalty as the resurgence of the Gloucester scrum collapsed. The game ended with the power of O’Connell and co in center having completed their duties, Keatley again not wavering under pressure, Perhaps with a fully fit Zebo Munster will make more runs in the future, but for now plan B will get the job done.
Munster: Jones; Earls, Laulala, Downey, J Murphy; Keatley, Murray; Kilcoyne, Varley, Botha, D O'Callaghan, O'Connell, D Ryan, Ronan, P O'Mahony, Hurley.
Gloucester: M Thomas; Sharples, Tindall, Mills, May; Bentley, Robson; Murphy, Dawidiuk, Harden, Lokotui, James, Cox, Qera, B Morgan.
Montpellier V Ulster: The Revolution Came to France
Montpellier 8-25 Ulster
No matter Ulster’s final position in this year’s Heineken Cup, this will be remembered as one of the wins of the tournament. In the home of last seasons quarter finalists, Andrew Trimble's solitary try in the opening fifteen minutes complimented the five points from Paddy Jackson; and fifteen points blitz from kicking expertise of Ruan Pienaar to remind us all of the unpredictable nature of this game.
This was a thrashing, a thoroughly entertaining one. But more importantly it has emphasized the extent to which the Ulster experiment has matured into an efficient animal. Beating a French elite always adds to a team’s credentials, but an away victory of this caliber is stirring.
There were no indications of this in the opening as the home side took the early lead through a Jonathan Pélissié penalty, though this was swiftly answered with a try from the combined effort of Bowe, Cave and Trimble which was easily converted.
Despite the Ulstermen missing three penalty attempts which gave opportunity for the French to fight back. The second half brought the air raid from Pienaar and Jackson that left the home side constantly looking to the sky while feeling their hearts sink. They attempted to fight back, but it was just a case of that they were simply not able. Spurning their single try scoring opportunity and falling victim to sporadic mistakes.
The smiles of the Ulster team were the brightest thing in France that evening, and they take with them a healthy dose of confidence into the nest game.
Montpellier: A Flock, T Nagusa, A Tuitavake, W Oliver, Y Audrin, F Trinh-Duc, J Pelissie, Y Watremez, M Ivaldi, M Butos, J Hamilton, T Privat, F Ouedraogo (capt), M Gorgodze, K Galletier.
Ulster: J Payne, A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, T Bowe, P Jackson, R Pienaar; T Court, R Best, D Fitzpatrick, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, R Diack, C Henry, R Wilson.
Leinster V Castres: Neither At Their Best, One Significantly Better
Leinster 19-7 Castres
At the end of the tournament, will we look back and say that the best thing to happen to Leinster this year was Jimmy Gopperth? Food for thought I think considering the impact the experienced fly-half is having in a role that is nothing if not under scrutiny.
Despite missing one penalty the New Zealander easily cleared four and a conversion, the first of which in the opening minutes. Castres came to the RDS without fear but were unable to convert the majority of the pressure they applied into points. Kockott, the only contributor for the visiting team sealed both a try and conversion to put consolation points on the board that more decorative than anything,
And while Castre were missing two players to the sin bin, Jack McGrath muscled his first Heineken try over the line. He took the final move of a combination with McFadden and the two Kearney brothers, breaking through Wihongi and at the same time the hopes of the French outfit. Man of the match Gopperth finished them off with his conversion.
Castre dug deep at times during the game but Leinster’s explosive nature in the center cancelled any efforts out. The blue storm has raged stronger and will have to again in this competition, but it’s nice to see messers such as Gopperth, Heaslip, O’Brien and now McGrath imposing themselves.
Leinster: R Kearney; McFadden, Macken, D'Arcy, D Kearney; Gopperth, Boss; Healy, S Cronin, Moore, Toner, McCarthy, K McLaughlin, O'Brien, J Heaslip.
Castres: Dulin; Martial, Cabannes, Lamerat, Evans; Tales, Kockott; Lazar, Mach, Peikrishvili, Gray, Capo Ortega, Bornman, Wannenburg, Classen.