The News Review:
- spreys must put house in order – Ryan Jones
- Blues cup success delights Young
- Wasps face exclusion from Europe’s top table
- Munster wheel out the heavy artillery
- Relishing life in the top flight of French rugby
spreys must put house in order – Ryan Jones
Walesnline
The Wales captain says they have to put their house in order well before they travel to Limerick for the daunting Heineken Cup quarter-final against the European champions. That means getting things right in time for Friday night’s Magners League clash with Ulster at Ravenhill. Jones said the spreys must quickly learn the harsh lessons from last Saturday’s 17-0 EDF Energy Cup semi-final defeat to Gloucester in Coventry. “We are a pretty tight-knit bunch and we will be honest and frank but we have got to start heeding the lessons and warnings and stop making the same mistakes” he said. “It is something we have got to do quickly.
Blues cup success delights Young
BBC News
getEmpEmbeddedParams(”emp_7970271″);Blues showed flair and skill – YoungThe Saints fought back with a brilliant response from Joe Ansbro but could not overhaul the Blues. The final will be the Blues’ first as a region and they still have a Heineken Cup quarter-final to come against Toulouse. "We didn’t do well in the Heineken Cup and the other competitions four or five years ago because weren’t good enough. You don’t have a right to be in finals; you have to earn it" added Young. "It has not happened as quickly as we would have liked but we have put real solid foundations in with the academy.
Wasps face exclusion from Europe’s top table
Telegraph.co.uk
Ian McGeechan’s side are 12 points behind sixth-placed Sale and after the midweek fixtures all 12 clubs will have just three games remaining of the regular league campaign. Unless an English side win the Heineken Cup only the top six clubs will be in contention to qualify for next season’s competition.
Munster wheel out the heavy artillery
Irish Times
The former rugby league and Ireland A international will be hoping for a bench place with former All Black Doug Howlett likely to fill a wing position on the other side. Munster have won their last six games in all competitions their last defeat being to Ulster in Thomond Park back in January – on a disfiguring 11-37 scoreline. From the Leinster viewpoint their meeting with the Heineken Cup champions last September was 0-18 against after tries from Howlett and Justin Melck and the kicking courtesy of ’Gara. But Leinster who select their squad tomorrow and like Munster are expected to have their Grand Slam players available have put together a seven-game winning streak. Glasgow who Munster defeated last weekend in Firhill are the last Magners team to beat Leinster back in ctober. Still the Leinster rap sheet travelling to Thomond Park is a long one and although the province won 10-3 at Musgrave Park on their last visit to Munster in 2007 they have not won in Limerick since a 24-18 win at Dooradoyle during the interprovincial championship in 1998. Connacht entertain the Dragons this week in their traditional early evening (6.
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Relishing life in the top flight of French rugby
Irish Times
I was happy with the way I was playing and I thought it brought more out of me. ” While Browne enjoyed his four years at Franklin’s Gardens Northampton had mixed fortunes. In his first year they fell to Toulouse in the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup and two years later they lost to eventual winners Wasps in the semi-finals. Their form in the Guinness Premiership was not so good however resulting in relegation in 2007. To make matters worse Browne spent much of his final season on the outside looking in. “I was out for about eight months. I tore both my bicep tendons one after another.