Leinster 18-13 Biarritz
Great to get back to winning ways in the rugby with this winner, courtesy of a late try from the French. Have not watched the match yet, so cannot comment on wether we deserved to cover or not, but the win takes to 26 and 8 in this competition this season.
I have one play on the remaining fixture tomorrow.
Leicester vs Munster (Welford Road, Leicester 16:00 GMT)
My reasons for going against Leinster today was that I am looking to oppose the Irish provinces at present. These provinces would not have played together as a team since the last fixtures in this competition, or the lesser challenge of the Celtic league. The teams they are coming up against at the moment, are teams who have not had a large gap since playing, all be it some of them have been without their international players due to the Six Nations.
This is true, but to a lesser extent in tomorrows match. Munster crept into this stage, after demolishing Zurich champions in Gloucester. Their form in Ireland has been close to unbeatable, but they have already proved that they find it difficult to take that form to other parts of Europe. Beatings at the hands of Perpignan, and Gloucester,meant that their only away win in the pool stages was against Italian minnows Viadana. Not a time then to be travelling to the most intermidating places in English rugby.
Leicester have hardly lost at Welford Road in the last two decades, and although they are not as unbeatable here as they once were, it still takes a mighty effort from anybody to leave there with a win. Having lost their title in the Zurich, and already dumped out of the Powergen Cup, Leicester face the prospect of ending the season without a title. The Heineken Cup has been the one tournament where they have looked like the team of old, and as long as they are playing in front of their own supporters, I cannot see them losing.
Rod Kafer returns to centre tomorrow,playing outside Austin Healey who is making his first start for four months at fly half. The pack is as big as ever, all be it with a few absenteeisms, and when a team can afford to leave the likes of Josh Kronfeld on the bench, then you know you are a class outfit.
There will be a lot of needle in the match, especially after last seasons Heineken Cup final, where Munster, having been camped on the Leicester line were denied by a illegal play by Leicester flanker Neil Back. However, they are not going to be able to get their revenge, at least until they can get Leicester back home in Ireland.
1 Point Leicester (-6) at 5/6 with Stan James
