Magners League: Three things to watch this Christmas

JOE looks ahead to the festive Magners League fixtures involving the Irish provinces and picks out three things to keep an eye on over the Christmas period.

By Conor Heneghan

Magners League fixtures

Sunday 26 December

Connacht v Munster - Sportsground 5pm (Live on TG4)

Monday 27 December

Ulster v Leinster - Ravenhill 4pm (Live on RTE 2, BBC 2)

Saturday 1 January

Leinster v Connacht – RDS 5.30pm (Live on TG4)

Munster v Ulster – Thomond Park 7.30pm (Live on RTE, BBC)

The Munster scrum

Against the Ospreys at Thomond Park, there was something definitely amiss about the Munster scrum, but it was forgotten about slightly in the aftermath thanks to Munster’s win and the furore over Paul O’Connell’s red card.

The Ospreys coaching staff had complained about the refereeing of the scrum at Thomond Park, but they had no need to in the return fixture at the Liberty Stadium as the Munster front row was completely obliterated by Adam Jones, Richard Hibbard and Paul James.

The scrum was the biggest factor in Munster’s defeat, a defeat which leaves them in danger of failing to make the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup for the first time since 1998. Tony McGahan has only a month and three games to sort it out ahead of Toulon next month, two of which will be hotly contested encounters against Connacht and Ulster, who both have scrums equally as good, if not better than Munster’s.

Tony Buckley has once again failed to step up to the plate at tight head and John Hayes, who has now been firmly established as a replacement, didn’t add much to the mix when introduced. Connacht and Ulster will no doubt have targeted the Munster scrum as an area which they can exploit and Toulon will be watching developments over Christmas with interest.

Leinster’s Ireland candidates

Following their tour de force against Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium last Saturday, Leinster are now Heineken Cup favourites in the eyes of many pundits and with good reason. For an hour last weekend, Leinster pulverised a team widely renowned as one of the best in Europe and it was a pity that they couldn’t round off a fantastic night with a try scoring bonus point. The province’s established internationals – Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Eoin Reddan, Jamie Heaslip et al – are obviously having a massive influence, but other members of the squad are really stepping up to the plate and giving Declan Kidney some welcome food for thought ahead of the Six Nations.

Chief among those catching the eye is Seán O’Brien (below), who has an insatiable appetite for work, is a brilliant ball carrier and will be keeping David Wallace on his toes in the battle for the Irish number seven jersey. In the scrum, Mike Ross is continuing to deliver the sort of performances that have led to widespread calls for his instalment in the Irish front row and at the back, the absence of Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald hasn’t been felt thanks to the impressive displays of Fergus McFadden and Eoin O’Malley.

Watch out Wally: Sean O'Brien's displays for Leinster have him primed for a place in Ireland's starting XV next year

The displays of those players in the next month or so will determine their involvement with the national side, and with the Irish provinces squaring up to each other over the Christmas, Declan Kidney will be keen to see how the possible perform against their direct opposition.

Come the Six Nations in February, there could conceivably be as many as nine Leinster players in the Irish starting XV, an illustration of just how much of an influence the Blues have on the national side. With the production line still running smoothly and rumours abounding that Connacht’s Fionn Carr and Seán Cronin could be on their way to Dublin next season; that influence looks set to continue for a while yet.

Ian Humphreys

Prior to last weekend’s clash with Bath I had suggested that I’d like to see Ian Humphreys have more of an influence on the Ulster side and he certainly delivered at the Recreation Ground. His performance was good enough for JOE columnist Malcolm O’Kelly to write the following in his latest piece:

“Ian Humphreys had a fantastic game. It’s great for Ulster, and great for Ireland to see someone like Humphreys turning in performances like that with another Six Nations and World Cup on the horizon. He hasn’t had much of a chance with Ireland – he’s only played Ireland ‘A’ up to now – but a few more displays like the one he put in against Bath will be giving plenty of food for Declan Kidney for 2011.

Ian Humphreys has impressed JOE columnist Malcolm O'Kelly

“He’s up against it with Johnny Sexton and Ronan O’Gara ahead of him in the pecking order, and it’s doubtful whether Deccie will bring three specialist out halves to the World Cup in the autumn, but if Humphreys continues that form into the New Year he’ll put himself right in the mix”.

It would be great if Humphreys could force himself into the reckoning, but as Malcolm suggested, it could well be just wishful thinking. Sexton and O’Gara are firmly established as Ireland’s first choice out halves and with the Irish management insisting that Paddy Wallace be played at out-half for Ulster already this season, it would seem that having Wallace in the squad eliminates the need for another out half ahead of the Six Nations and the World Cup.

Still, injuries do happen and all Humphreys can do to ensure he remains in Declan Kidney’s thoughts between now and the Six Nations and the World Cup is produce performances like the display against Bath, starting with the Magners League games against Leinster and Munster over the Christmas.

Click here to read Malcolm O'Kelly's latest column and here for the latest offering from Connacht's Johnny O'Connor.

To listen to the Weekly Maul, JOE's Rugby Podcast, click here for Part One and here for Part Two.