'It's down to the toss of a coin'

James Blaney's allegiance next Sunday for the Heineken European Cup semi-final between Leinster and Munster at Lansdowne Road should be easily defined. Two of his brothers, Brian and David, will be in the Leinster match squad, the former as starting hooker and David ready to take over if required from the bench.

For James though, five years spent sporting the red of Munster, and the ensuing friendships struck in his time with the province and the Shannon club, blur the line slightly. Educated (like his brothers) at Terenure College, James played for the Leinster Schools, Under-20s and Under-21s and the Ireland Under-21s but it was his time with the Ireland Schools that would provide a pivotal link to his later rugby career.

"Declan Kidney coached the Irish Schools at that stage. I first joined the Leinster senior set-up in 1994 and would have spent about five years with the province as second- and then third-choice hooker. Keith Wood had returned from Harlequins to Munster and then left again when I got I phone call from Declan asking me if I would be interested in joining the Munster set-up.

"I enjoyed something of a baptism of fire in a team-bonding, pre-season jaunt to Waterville. I remember Tom Tierney and a few of the others 'welcomed' me in fine style. I think they took the legs from me in every sense," he laughed. "I suppose if they weren't slagging you at some point you'd take offence. They'd latch on to any weakness and test your mettle.

"Once you earned their respect, they eventually forgot where you came from. The highlights for me in my time with Munster would be easily recalled, winning the Celtic League, beating Gloucester in the 'miracle match', and the quarter-final victory over Stade Francais in Paris.

"It would be unfair to dwell on comparisons between my time at Munster and the years I spent with Leinster in the sense professional rugby was only kicking in in the Leinster days. In my first season there were probably only three fully contracted players. In a professional environment it breeds a tighter community."

He believes Leinster will have benefited from their two outings post-Toulouse. "They played poorly in the Borders match and just about scrapped a win and then were dire in the first half against Llanelli. That will refocus the minds and get them to address certain areas of performance that let them down.

"The Leinster forwards are always going to be overshadowed by their back line, especially after matches like Toulouse, but that doesn't mean the Leinster pack aren't capable.

"They stood up to the Toulouse forwards and looking back at the last meeting of Munster and Leinster at the RDS, acquitted themselves well.

"It's a super Munster pack but they're expecting a tough game - you can be sure of that."

On the issue of the two hookers - he is one himself having helped Terenure back to the AIB League Division One for next season - he is diplomatic.

"Jerry (Flannery) has been flying this season with Munster and Ireland. He has barely put a foot wrong and is very confident and rightly so. This is the biggest season of Brian's life and he is still very young. He's handled it very well and has a good attitude. Both of them will be concentrating on doing the spade-work of the position.

"You can't afford to be constantly thinking about the throwing aspect of things or you're doomed. You work hard in training, preparing in terms of the mechanics, and then for the match you need a clear head, relying on the repetition of practice. The lineout is going to be a key battlefield.

"Both teams have obvious strengths. Leinster will be looking to get quick ball to release their backs while Munster are more likely to hug the touchlines, get field position and then put the pressure on at setpiece time. It's down to the toss of a coin."