THE MOST emphatic statement of intent on the opening weekend of the Heineken Cup was delivered by Saracens as they travelled to Murrayfield and eviscerated Edinburgh 45-0. The score-line will have rippled through the consciousness of many teams, not least Munster whose 22-17 defeat against Racing Metro 92 in Paris makes the pathway to the play-offs that little bit more fraught.
The Irish province hosts Edinburgh, European semi-finalists last season, at Thomond Park next Sunday, aware that a bonus point victory must be the non negotiable outcome. They’ll face a Scottish franchise who’ll be smarting from the tongue lashing administered by their director of rugby, Michael Bradley, in the wake of a hugely embarrassing defeat.
The former Munster and Ireland scrumhalf admitted: “Not a single aspect of our game worked. We knew the way they would play and we had systems to deal with it but they weren’t used properly. We handed the game to them; we couldn’t have been any worse.
“We’ve let everyone down. This was completely unacceptable. We need to give a big performance next weekend.” Bradley’s mood cannot have been helped by the news that captain and outhalf Greig Laidlaw suffered shoulder damage while their most potent back, wing Tim Visser, sustained severe bruising to his leg. Both are doubtful for the trip to Limerick.
Saracens, scored five tries and director of rugby, former Ireland international Mark McCall was understandably delighted: “That was very nice to be able to push on in the second half. In the Heineken Cup a win is vital in the opening game but to get the extra point from scoring those tries was a real bonus. Edinburgh are a difficult team to play against. It was a huge credit to our boys that Edinburgh were shut out in the game.”
Leinster’s lacklustre performance in beating the Exeter Chiefs 9-6 won’t suffice when they visit a Scarlets team intent on atoning for a 49-16 thumping by ASM Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel Michelin.
The Scarlets took an early lead through a try from Jonathan Davies but a pivotal moment in the match took place on the half hour when wing Morgan Stoddart received a second yellow card – and therefore a red card – from Irish referee Peter Fitzgibbon.
Stoddart, making his first start for 14 months following a leg injury, received the first yellow card for cynically intercepting Clermont scrumhalf Morgan Parra’s pass from an offside position and then failing to roll away after tackling Sitiveni Sivivatu. The teams were tied 13-13 at the time.
Scarlets’ direct of rugby Simon Easterby considered it a ‘harsh’ red card. “We came with a good game plan and it was going well for 30 minutes, but the sending off changed everything. The red card is harsh to say the least.
“Certain things were going our way, we were sticking to our plan but they scored a soft try with virtually their first attack of the half. I didn’t see the first sin-bin; the second, if Morgan didn’t roll away should it have been a penalty try?
“He knew he had sent him to the sin-bin and didn’t show any empathy for the game. But we didn’t get the defence right on Morgan’s wing and they scored three tries.”
Ulster travel to the Glasgow Warriors next Friday and the Scottish side gave the Northampton Saints a real fright before succumbing 24-15 yesterday. Glasgow led 15-0 but three tries either side of half-time allowed the Saints to march on.
Connacht host Harlequins, whom they beat so memorably in the final pool match last season, next Saturday. It’s going to be a tough assignment against the English Premiership champions who hammered Biarritz Olympique 40-13 but one Harlequins player who won’t be travelling is former All Black outhalf Nick Evans who picked up an ankle injury.
