Heineken Cup Semi Final Preview - Clermont Auvergne v Munster

Familiarity is always reassuring.  Whether it's heading back to the family home, meeting up with an old friend or hearing about another Luis Suarez biting incident, you'll always get that warm fuzzy feeling inside that you only get when you're in your comfort zone.  So, looking at the semi final lineups and seeing Munster there probably brings a little smile to most people, even if you don't support them – unless you happen to wear blue, of course.  Munster have always been – at least to me – an eminently likeable club, with hard players, an honest, bruising style of play and passionate yet gracious fans, and so nobody really begrudges them a spot in Europe's top four.  But perhaps that's because nobody expects them to go any further.

Standing between the men in red and a spot in the Heineken Cup final is a Clermont side that is almost frightening in it's ability.  With a brutally powerful pack, fired by 2 bullies in Jamie Cudmore and Nathan Hines, and a backline oozing with strength, speed and subtlety, they are capable of playing complete rugby – they thumped Montpellier in the quarter finals without getting out of second gear.  And that's what I find so unnerving about them – they always seem to be on the cusp of utterly obliterating an opponent, even if they're only winning by a narrow margin at the time.  Perhaps though, the Irish side can find solace in 2 points – firstly, although in France, the men in white are not at home, where their fortress Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin has been impregnable for almost 4 years, and secondly, Aurelien Rougerie is missing.  The ex-France captain may not have the scything speed he used to but his power and intelligence is the perfect foil for Fofana's subtlety.   In Regan King, the French side certainly lose no intelligence or distribution skill, but they do lose that raw physical edge that Rougerie brings – James Downey can have a big game for the underdogs if he can exploit this.

Another source of familiarity is the sight of Paul O'Connell on the European war path once again.  But whether or not he should be out there or not is another question, after he mistook Dave Kearney's head for a football and gave it such a leathering with his size 94 boot that the Leinsterman had to spend the night in hospital.  Now I don't think O'Connell meant to kick him in the head, but it was certainly reckless – and how he has avoided a ban is pretty remarkable. 


Nevertheless, I'm glad to see him playing again and his battle against Nathan Hines will be one of the highlights for me, seeing as they've both made my Lions squad.  And the big angry lock's first job will be to get his side believing that a win against Clermont is possible.  Great Munster sides have been characterised by their never say die attitude, by their resilience and refusal to go down without one hell of a fight – and you can guarantee that O'Connell will have his men clawing and scrapping (but hopefully not kicking) for every single inch on that pitch come Saturday.

The odds are well and truly against the men in red, but a Munster side upsetting the odds to claim a famous win?  Now that's a very familiar sight indeed.

 

Clermont Auvergne Team News

Regan King replaces injured Clermont skipper Aurelien Rougerie at centre with Brock James back at fly-half – but James has not played for over a month because of a thigh injury.  Flanker Gerhard Vosloo has also been ruled out by a hamstring problem so Portugal international Julien Bardy is drafted into the back row.

Starting Line up:  L Byrne, S Sivivatu, R King, W Fofana, N Nalaga, B James, M Parra; T Domingo, B Kayser, D Zirakashvili, J Cudmore, N Hines, J Bonnaire, J Bardy, D Chouly,

Subs: T Paulo, V Debaty, C Ric, J Pierre, A Lapandry, L Radoslavjevic , N Nakaitaci, JM Buttin

Key Player

Nathan Hines.  The big nasty lock was one of my 'wild card' picks in the second row, but I reckon we'll see why this weekend.  Abrasive and physical, he is a real stalwart of this Clermont side that has dominated pack after pack over the last three years – and he has a surprisingly soft set of hands to go with it as well.  I don't know how much of those we'll see, but he'll know if he can help out-power the Munster pack, a Heineken Cup final is there for the taking for the French team.

 

Munster Team News

Fit-again Earls replaces Denis Hurley on the wing in the only change from the quarter-final win over Harlequins.  Doug Howlett is again ruled out by a shoulder injury with Donncha O'Callaghan (knee) also unavailable.

Starting Line up: F Jones; K Earls, C Laulala, J Downey, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, M Sherry, BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O'Connell capt; P O'Mahony, T O'Donnell, J Coughlan.

Subs: D Varley, W du Preez, J Ryan, B Holland, P Butler, C Sheridan, I Keatley, D Hurley.

Key Player

Paul O'Connell.  Going up against fellow Lion (in my book) Nathan Hines, O'Connell has had one cracking game back after a season plagued by injury.  The Munster legend needs to prove that the Harlequins game wasn't just a fluke and that he remains the real deal – and he can start by dismantling the Clermont set piece.  If their lineout falters, then the confidence may wobble and then maybe, just maybe, we may witness something very special indeed – but the Irish stalwart will need to be at the top of his game to make that happen.

 

Key Battle

Wesley Fofana v James Downey.  Two completely different but equally important players who are probably indicative of both sides' approach to the game.  Fofana is the smoothest runner in Europe, with fantastic vision and a marvellous elusive quality about his game, whilst Downey is belligerent, hard as nails and direct.  Two different 12s you could not ask for, and who gets the upper hand here could be of critical importance.  If Downey shuts down the French maestro then maybe Munster can stop this Clermont side going forward – but that's a lot easier said than done.

 

Prediction

Munster have all the pedigree and punch you could want from a club, but facing Clermont Auvergne in a semi final is tricky enough – and that's without having to play them in France.  The French club may not be at 'home' but they will still feel as if they are in familiar territory and – most importantly – this Clermont side just oozes class.  This is their year.  I know I wrongly wrote off Munster in the quarter finals, but I think this is just a step too far, even for one of the real veterans of Europe.  Clermont by 9.