In a rousing shuddering clash of similar styles Pontypridd deservedly won the right to return to the Kassam

Posted by admin · · Jump to comments

In a rousing, shuddering clash of similar styles, Pontypridd deservedly won the right to return to the Kassam Stadium in Oxford in a month's time. London Irish did not have to fall much from the high watermark they established at Twickenham a week ago in order for the Ponty tide to flood through to the final. Irish gave up possession at the first three line-outs on their own throw, and were turned over at a scrum, too, as the Welsh side went about their work with a will.On Ponty's throw, a quartet of assured targets – Brent Cockbain (a former Exile), Robert Sidoli, Nick Kelly and Michael Owen – comfortably outguessed the London Irish jumpers. At outside-half, Ceri Sweeney had the measure of Barry Everitt, with a couple of sweet breaks off his left foot.Yet the Irish reached half-time only three points adrift, and that by virtue of the afternoon's first penalty goal from Brett Davey in the third minute of injury time. As Northampton had found in their punishing Powergen Cup final defeat at the Exiles' hands, the Irish are ruthless at making field position count.Ponty's support in a ground which was two-thirds' full received immediate encouragement when the black-and-white jerseys claimed a lovely try after only 70 seconds of the second half. Having nicked the ball on Richard Kirke's throw, the Pontypridd backs attacked to the left, with Sonny Parker and Gareth Baber paving the way for Gareth Wyatt.That was as nothing compared with the fun and games of five tries in 15 minutes which raised the decibel count to new levels.

Nor was it knockabout rugby, with all the scores bearing a smack of quality. With 20 minutes gone, Wyatt and Owen neatly set up Gethin Jenkins, who fairly stormed over with Davey's conversion making it 14-0.Shaken and a little stirred, Irish tapped a penalty in the shadow of the Ponty posts and manouevred Eddie Halvey over in space at the right corner. At the other end, Mefin Davies was driven over by his forwards after Davey's penalty kick to touch and Kelly's tap-down, but back came Irish with Kirke rounding off a snappy series of close-quarter drives. Venter then sniped through a gap, Sweeney having been charged down, and Michael Horak went over.With Davey and Everitt taking each of the conversion chances, that made it 21-21 after 35 breathless minutes.Davey's goal-kicking had accounted for Cardiff in a recent Principality Cup semi-final, and Ponty trusted to their full-back's boot in the second half. It was not pretty but it was pretty damned effective.

Munster, who have taken to the Euro faster than the Bank of Ireland, reached the final of the Heineken Cup for the second time in three seasons, ensuring a huge invasion of Cardiff by the Republic of Ireland, and elsewhere, on 25 May. Munster have become accustomed to progressing in Europe by the country road rather than the motorway, and yesterday they prevailed yet again, beating Castres in B?ers by a goal and six penalties to a try and four penalties It was not pretty but it was pretty damned effective. The Irish have adopted the Euro as their currency in the lucrative club tournament, but for the most part they relied here on the punt – of their stand-off, Ronan O'Gara. In prime kicking form, O'Gara banked six penalties, two of them at the end of the first half and three early in the second, to obliterate Castres' 9-0 lead.The forward battle was, as ever, desperately hard and there was very little room, time or space for anything more elaborate or skilful outside the grunt and grind in ball and penalty winning up front.Devaluing a rich occasion which became a poor spectacle was the English referee, Chris White. He conducted a concerto in silver whistle major and virtually anybody who dared move was adjudged offside Munster could not have cared less. Having beaten Stade Fran?s in Paris to reach their third successive semi-final, they dug deep once again in hostile territory, although it was not as hostile as it might have been.