The News Review:
- Expert View: Heineken Cup
- Ulster v Munster (Wed)
- Tyrone Howe: Kidney deserves chance to lead Ireland
- Gavin Henson blow for Wales
- Premiership play-off permutations
- Van Heerden eyes Bulls’ exit
Expert View: Heineken Cup
RTE.ie – Apr 29, 2008
Munster won’t want to hear that, and they will be saying themselves that Toulouse because of their record are favourites, and that they are underdogs. As for the suggestion that came up during the Heineken Cup TV show on Sunday night that the final is a harder game than Biarritz, I don’t agree with that either. That’s a bit of ‘George-speak’ as I call it. It’s completely retrospective… Munster won’t want to hear that, and they will be saying themselves that Toulouse because of their record are favourites, and that they are underdogs. As for the suggestion that came up during the Heineken Cup TV show on Sunday night that the final is a harder game than Biarritz, I don’t agree with that either. That’s a bit of ‘George-speak’ as I call it. It’s completely retrospective. If you remember back to that final, George Hook and Conor O’Shea were the very two people saying Biarritz would win and that Biarritz were the far better side. Only when Munster beat them did they turn around and say that Biarritz didn’t play.
Ulster v Munster (Wed)
BBC News – Apr 29, 2008
Best is back from injury while Bryan Young and number eight Stephen Ferris are also recalled for the forwards. Issac Boss and Paddy Wallace form a new half-back partnership and full-back Bryn Cunningham replaces Mark McCrea. Munster have named a completely new side from that which beat Saracens in Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final. Lock Donnacha Ryan came on as a replacement in the 18-16 victory at the Ricoh Arena but the remaining 14 players to face Ulster didn’t feature. “We have a point to prove after the away fixture in Cork and what better way to prove it by beating one of the best teams in Europe,” said Rory Best. Ulster coach Matt Williams is hoping that the ‘Fortress’ Ravenhill mentality will return for the final three fixtures which will prove crucial for his side’s future in the Heineken Cup next season. Connacht are close behind Ulster with only four points separating the two provinces, and with Connacht having two home games left to play at the intimidating Sportsground, Ulster’s qualification for the Heineken Cup next season is by no means secured.
Tyrone Howe: Kidney deserves chance to lead Ireland
Belfast Telegraph – Apr 29, 2008
Declan Kidney and Guy Noves, the respective Munster and Toulouse coaches, must have acquired a few extra silver streaks themselves over the weekend. While both their games went according to prediction they were a lot closer than they certainly would have liked and may have expected. Munster’s achievement, even if it did go down to the wire, raises Kidney’s stock even further — two Heineken Cup finals within three years against a background of incredible consistency in this same competition surely guarantee him the position of Ireland national coach. What more can he do to press his case? Surely he deserves a crack at it. There are issues of course. The main one is that his familiarity with the Munster boys may prejudice his selection when it comes to the national team. It’s not wholly unexpected that in a fifty-fifty situation a coach would back the player with whom he is more familiar and who has performed for him in the past.
Gavin Henson blow for Wales
Telegraph.co.uk – Apr 29, 2008
Henson, 26, was injured in the. Wales play the first of two Tests against the world champions on June 7… The game will be used to open the refurbished Thomond Park, where the capacity is being increased from 12,000 to 26,000 – a figure still about 200,000 short of the number of Munstermen who claim to have been there on Oct 31, 1978. Munster, meanwhile, are bracing themselves for the expected announcement this morning that Declan Kidney will be the new Ireland coach. Kidney, who has guided Munster to four Heineken Cup finals in two spells, will replace Eddie O’Sullivan.
Premiership play-off permutations
BBC News – Apr 29, 2008
Finishing in the top two will guarantee a home tie in the semi-final play-offs (first plays fourth, second hosts third), and the best chance of progressing to the Premiership final on 31 May. And if clubs are level on points after the final game of the season, then the team with most wins will finish in the higher position. Premiership table
All six teams will also want to at least guarantee a place in next season’s Heineken Cup, and must finish in the top five to do so. Of the six places allocated to English teams, the Premiership champions will be one, along with the European Challenge Cup winners, with Bath and Worcester contesting the final on 25 May. 606: DEBATE Who do you think will make it into the play-offs? A Bath victory would see the rest of the top six in the Premiership qualify for the Heineken Cup, but a Worcester win would see the side finishing sixth miss out on Europe’s elite competition next season. We assess the prospects for the top six ahead of the final two rounds of the regular season.
Van Heerden eyes Bulls’ exit
iafrica.com – Apr 29, 2008
Reports in the weekend media suggested that Botha – along with fellow World Cup Boks Bryan Habana and Wynand Olivier – are threatening to go on strike if the contract dispute with the Bulls are not resolved. Botha has asked the Bulls relieve him of his contract so he can join ambitious French Second Division (Pro D2) club Toulon – an outfit that has Botha’s longtime Bulls and Bok second row partner Victor Matfield on their books. Habana and Olivier are also looking to move to France, and now Van Heerden is being courted by Saracens, who lost to Irish province Munster in their Heineken Cup semifinal at the weekend. Saracens are looking to fill the void that will be left when openside flank Richard Hill – a 2003 World Cup-winner with England – retire at the end of the season. Negotiations between Van Heerden and Sarries are at an advanced stage. Van Heerden made six appearances for South Africa in last year’s World Cup, including starting in the 36-0 rout of England in their pool match. Sarries have already signed England lock Steve Borthwick from Bath and Wales No.