Munster coach Tony Mc Gahan has brought Paul O Connell and Peter Stringer back into the Munster side for this weekend’s vital Heineken Cup game against Toulon. The Munster captain has been suspended for the last number of games, while Stringer holds onto the number 9 jersey he held against Glasgow last weekend. The game is seen as do or die for Munster who need a win to make it 13 quarter final appearances in a row.
” As far as we’re concerned, it’s a case of winning on Sunday, simple as that.” was Donncha O’Callaghan – man of the match last weekend against Glasgow Warriors – take on Sunday’s game. “This is what we’re all about. It’s really what we were reared on in terms of the professional club game. The Heineken Cup is where it’s at. ” It was the first international club competition. It’s different to the League (Magners) obviously because it’s knock-out rugby. You could lose three four games in the Magners and still qualify for the knock-out stage. You don’t have that leeway in this competition.”
And facing the prospect of elimination should they lose, does the Corkman who is about to win his 177th Munster cap feel the weight of pressure ? “Not especially. But I think that’s because we trust each other.
“We’ve been here before. In this situation.There was Gloucester in Thomond Park. There was the quarter final away to Stade in a gale force wind in our faces. There was Perpignan away. People might write us off. We’ll never do that to ourselves.”
Munster: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, S Tuitupou, J Murphy; R O’Gara, P Stringer; W du Preez, D Varley, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell; J Coughlan, D Wallace, D Leamy capt. Replacements: M Sherry, D Hurley, T Buckley, M O’Driscoll, D Ryan, N Ronan, T O’Leary, L Mafi.
Â
