Provinces need to hit ground running

European CupThe Heineken European Cup is back to revive the flagging parts of Irish rugby that the World Cup couldn't reach and not a moment too soon. Well, ideally, the Irish contenders would assuredly have liked another three or four games to be in optimum shape but then again, the same is true of their English opponents. Facing into week one of the 13th Cup, never has the phrase "hitting the ground running" appeared more apt.

Wasps, Leicester and Gloucester await the three provinces in a trio of Anglo-Irish collisions sure to set the pulses racing. The respective coaches and captains of Munster and Leinster, along with Ulster defensive coach Niall Kelly and centre Paul Steinmetz, were in attendance for the Irish launch of the Cup yesterday in the ERC's offices in Huguenot House, and the sense of anticipation was palpable, albeit mixed with a realisation that, collectively, they've probably never faced a tougher opening weekend. And not much is riding on the next two weekends, just the general goodwill and health of Irish rugby. That's all.

Gloucester, Ulster's opponents on opening night in Ravenhill on Friday, were the form team in England for much of last season and lead the Premiership in its formative stages this season.

Leicester and Wasps may be finding their post-World Cup feet, but their respective pedigree as last year's finalists and two-time competition winners brooks no argument.

For Ireland, the World Cup hangover has lingered longer. Asked if the World Cup was a distant memory, O'Driscoll smiled wryly and admitted: "Yes it is, probably because it is quite literally a distance ago since we last played in it. It's something you have to put behind you but that's the great thing about coming back into a new set-up, you look forward to training and playing every day and a new competition brings fresh hope.

"I think the European Cup in general is as close as you're going to get to international standard. When you're playing against the best teams, like Leicester, it's got to be there or thereabouts and we're going to have to up our game, but hopefully we'll pose a few problems for them as well."

Saturday's game at a capacity RDS will mark Geordan Murphy's 50th European Cup match and when it was pointed out to him that his fellow Irishman's debut was a defeat to Leinster, O'Driscoll remarked that "a couple of defeats (for Murphy) would do nicely." Having spent much of last season seemingly on the brink of extinction in light of England and French brinkmanship, the tournament returns complete with a seven-year deal to replace the Paris Accord which gave the Heineken Cup and the Challenge Cup such stability for the last seven years.

In essence, nothing has changed. The format is still flawed, as evidenced by an unbalanced draw which is the almost inevitable by-product of a system that seeds the "top" teams from each of the six competing countries. Modest alterations in the competition's disciplinary procedures will see a disciplinary panel now adjudicate on red cards two or three days after the match rather than the match commissioner, who heretofore held a hearing and decided on punishment in the immediate aftermath of the relevant game.

Furthermore, citing commissioners will be in attendance at every game as opposed to just the televised games while the 19-man panel of referees in use for this season's competition met in Dublin last week to "consider the challenge of uniformity" as ERC chief executive Derek McGrath put it.

More than ever before, it will be some achievement for any Irish team to reach the final in the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, May 24th (kick-off 5pm) and one suspects Irish supporters will not be so eager to snap up tickets in advance after the pain and expense of the Coupe du Monde. That said, 13,000 final tickets have already been sold.

On the previous two occasions the final was held in Cardiff, Munster reached the decider, although needless to say Declan Kidney wasn't taking any solace from that. "It's just great to be getting up and going. It's such a special competition and it's played a special part in the life of Munster so we're looking forward to it."

Seemingly 13,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's game, which Wasps have moved to the Ricoh Stadium in Coventry where they won last season's semi-final against Northampton. The Red Army have, officially, acquired "only" 3,000 - which may or not be an indicator of the post-World Cup gloom - although it will be no surprise if 5-6,000 make it to Coventry.

No less than Munster, Wasps have had a patchy start to this season, understandable given so many of their leading lights were on World Cup duty all the way to the final. But à la Munster and Ronan O'Gara's restorative performance and victory over Edinburgh, to overturn an 18-point deficit against Gloucester in the EDF Cup on Sunday was decidedly timely.

"Given they're reigning champions you don't let go of the trophy too easily so it's probably one of the toughest times to get this match," added Kidney.

"Their morale will be very high after their win yesterday so it's a very difficult time to meet them, although any time is a difficult time to meet them, but they seem to be coming into form at the right time."

The same might not be quite so true of Munster, although they'd probably have taken a scratchy 19-16 win at home to Edinburgh as their final warm-up on the proviso that it came with an eye-catchingly assured and match-winning performance from O'Gara.

It appears the onset of the European Cup has refreshed him as well. Now, to complete the rejuvenation, all that is required of the Irish provinces is a few wins. That's all.