Workhorses take all the credit

HEINEKEN CUP FRENCH REACTION:FRENCH NEWSPAPER Sud Questput the success of Biarritz firmly at the door of their pack. The sometimes overlooked work horses, who the paper heralded as unfashionable, were instrumental in the demolishing of Leinster in Toulouse and again in Spain on Sunday.

“Glory to the people behind the scenes, of all the front five” said the paper. “These guys may not be the ones presented on the front of glossy calendars but they are the salt of rugby. Like Toulouse against Leinster the Biarrots had big shoulders to open the door to the final of the Heineken Cup. The pack was dominant in all spheres of the game and their courage and tenacity eventually made a crack team like Munster unrecognisable.”

The paper continued to say that the “soundtrack” was surprising as Biarritz have had a season that has run hot and cold and are currently sitting seventh in the French Championship’s top 14.

“If the Biarrotts, according to their mood swings have sometimes fallen this winter, there was never any doubt about their ability to transcend themselves on this great occasion,” continued the paper. “It was their day and Jerome Thion and his team-mates would have pondered regret for ever if they had lost this semi-final, one in which Munster could not get a foothold.

“It hasn’t been seen for 10 years how the forwards of Cork and Limerick were hustled, and closed down the way they were in Anoeta. And the loss of ‘Superman’ Paul O’Connell does not explain by itself such destruction.”

In French number eight, Imanol Harinordoquy, the home side had their own superman.

“Uncertain after breaking his nose in April in the Top 14, Harinordoquy appeared wearing a mask of fortune. Injured initially late in the first half, he stayed on the ground, stubbornly refusing to leave despite repeated interventions of trainers, before yielding his place to Florian Faure in the 66th minute, to the cheers of the Biarrot public.”

The more sober Le Mondepicked up on the thoughts of Biarritz legend and former fullback for France, Serge Blanco, who celebrated the strength of character of the home side.

“Serge Blanco has praised the ‘exceptional state of mind’ of the players and its leaders ‘who were able to question’ Munster after a difficult season. “We will play our second final in a decade. We’ve come full circle. It would be nice now that we can finish with a title of European champions.”

The paper echoed the hopes of most publications in that centre Damien Traille would be fit enough to take part in the final in Paris. Traille was in San Sebastien with his arm in a cast.

“The Biarrot have ‘hopes’ for the restoration of Damien Traille for the final against Toulouse,” said the paper before quoting coach Jack Issac.

"Imanol took a blow to the ribs. We do not yet know the exact nature of his injury," said Isaac. Alain Penaud, writing in sports newspaper L'Equipepointed to the Biarritz win over Munster as a bigger performance than the Tolouse defeat of Leinster. The Munster brand and reputation has travelled far and wide but again taking on Munster in the engine room of the pack drew praise.

“Their performance was mainly to compete with the Irish in an area they dominate and where they are often untouchable,” said Penaud. “The Biarrots completely dominated their opponents in this sector. The Irish have rarely been so dominated and beaten in this area and it is likely that the absence of their captain Paul O’Connell was detrimental.

“The Munstermen were never able to move the game as they did against Ospreys in the quarter-finals. And when you see Harinordoquy, who charged, Magnus Lund, who spent his time hunting the enemy, Coetzee and Johnstone . . . the Irish could do nothing to overcome so much courage.”

Midi Olympiquedoffed its cap to the work of the forwards in both matches and described them as being engaging if not flamboyant, with the rain around the Basque country determining some of the tactics. But scrumhalf, Dimitri Yachvili was also singled out for particular praise.

“It was Yachvili that gradually took the game with his boot. Slowly but surely. Coaching, too, was his work and the Munstermen were hampered and unable to lay hands on the ball.”