Montauban V Munster Sunday (13 – 39)  25th Jan 2009 

Match delayed due to weather but Munster march on.

What were the team objectives going in to the game?

Initially we were focused on getting the bonus point to secure a home quarter final, but due to the fact that the match was delayed we knew we only needed to win to secure the fixture. It was really important to us to secure home quarter final, it’s a big advantage to play at home. We are all tied up now for 7 weeks on International duty and it’s great to look forward to a home fixture. It is also really important to us that our supporters don’t have to put there hands in their pockets for another away trip. So we are delighted, it’s great for everyone.

Is there any difference playing a French side versus a Scottish or English side?

At this stage in the competition it is pretty much the same, all the games are tough. The French sides generally don’t like to ruck as much; they like to keep the game open. We concentrated on tying up their forwards before we let the ball out to our backs. We focused on using plenty of “pick and goes”, engaging the forwards as much as possible and then exploiting the gaps. It worked much better for us this time. We were pleased with our performance.

How did you feel about your own performance?

I felt the set pieces were solid, the scrum and lineout were good. I was especially pleased with the scrum it was much better than the last time we played them. We started strong, lost a small bit of concentration in the second half but came back. It was difficult to feel like you were moving around the pitch as it was so heavy after all the rain. All in all I was pleased.

Did the match delay have any effect on the team?

No not really we just wanted to get on with it. We were all geared up to play; the conditions were so bad we were anxious that it might be cancelled again on the Sunday.

What are your thoughts on the draw, Osprey’s a real tough challenge?

Whoever you get at this stage is going to be tough. Teams in the quarter final are all there for a reason. It’s hard to say who would be the toughest team to draw, last year Osprey’s drew Saracens, Saracens hadn’t been playing well in the domestic league but got it together for that game. It’s difficult for sides like Munster and Osprey’s we lose a lot of players to International duty while other teams are still together and just focused on the Heineken Cup.

What’s the scene like in the Irish camp?

Good now, busy with meetings and training. Very competitive in training but afterwards we all get on well. Declan Kidney good at keeping life in camp good. Work hard and intensively but then get home for a few days. You’re kept going all the time with training, analysis, media assignments, physio. When we do get time to relax I generally read or watch some box sets.

What do you think about the prospect of a Leinster V Munster semi-final?

I don’t even think about the Semi-final yet, we still have a game to go before we get there. The fact is both teams know each other so well, they know each others little idiosyncrasies, this just means that the 2 teams basically just cancel each other out. The tiniest things make the difference in that kind of match, the team that concentrates the best and does all the small things right will emerge the winner!

Jerry Flannery in conversation with USN