The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 30

6 The Guardian Monday January 29 2001 Rugby Union Heineken RlaimrDpairafiDg)eirs rata1 ClaoDTplhij's Daw O'Gara gives a kick to Minister crusade Swansea's Sililo Martens prevents a Leon Lloyd try for Leicester in the Welsh side's 41-10 humbling at Welford Road Photograph: Tom Jenkins kept the scoreboard ticking ond after Kevin Morgan had missed his hacked clearance of Dorian West's rolling chip before Austin Healcy wriggled over, again after sterling work from his hooker. Healey's flying defensive tackle on Shaun Payne proved to be almost his final act before limping off with a cut leg, but an Andy Goode drop goal the season could have been abandoned on the spot. "The guys will try anything if the forwards will let them get away with it," he said, again expressing surprise that Murphy cannot find a place in the Irish squad, let alone the team. It proved a less auspicious afternoon for that Welsh free spirit Arwel Thomas, whose the right wing but the lingering memory will concern the one that got away. Richards was among those who felt that, had Murphy's audacious overhead kick, from a stationary position some 15 metres from the try-line with his back to the Swansea posts, resulted in a try for the diving Leon Lloyd, all votes for try of power plunges Wales into darkness Robert Kitson atWelfordBoad Leicester 41 Swansea 10 Unless this is all part of some fiendish Welsh plot, English rugby can look forward to this weekend's Six Nations championship opener at the Millennium Stadium with more than a little confidence.

Wins for Leicester and Gloucester in two surprisingly one-sided Anglo-Welsh quarter-finals may not be conclusive proof of an away win in Cardiff, but there has been only one winner of the phoney war. It was Swansea's bad luck to catch the Tigers on a roll yesterday, burning as brightly as they have all season, but the scale of this reverse was still startling. Perhaps the All Whites and Cardiff peaked too early in this season's tournament, maybe one or two Welshmen were subconsciously holding something back. Either way, next week's draw will attract interest on only one side of the Severn Bridge. Leicester would doubtless prefer to face the known quantity of Gloucester, preferably at a neutral venue of their choice, in the semi-finals on the weekend of April 21-22, but on this form they need fear no one.

Dean Richards, their director of rugby, rated this four-try demolition among his side's best displays in the past two years and, after two domestic titles on the trot, the scent of Europe hangs heavy in the midlands air. "To say there was an edge in training this week would be an understatement," said Richards afterwards. "None of our guys have been to a European Cup final and won and a lot of them would dearly love to do that. The beauty of today was that everyone played a part." The only crumbs of comfort for Welsh supporters were Mark Taylor's successful return from a knee injury and the sight of an Irishman winning the vote as man of the match. Gcordan Murphy scored two sharp tries down English Paul Rees How green were the men from the valleys as Wales's last two representatives in the Heineken Cup made their exits against English clubs with barely a murmur.

"I would not read anything into this defeat ahead of Wales's match against England," said the Cardiff coach Lynn Howells after his side's mauling at Kings-holm on Saturday. That was before, as part of Graham Henry's Wales management team, he saw Swansea overwhelmed at Leicester yesterday. Howells was speechless after the quarter-final between the leaders in the Zurich Premiership and Will Greenwood's 12th, and most spectacular, try of the season sealed Harlequins' 20-13 European Shield quarter-final victory at Brive yesterday. The England centre said of his 80-metre dash to the line: "I have never run so far since I was at school." Steve White-Cooper put Quins on the victory trail with a fifth-minute try. Victories by Harlequins and Newcastle make the Shield an Anglo-French affair.

Narbonne's 34-24 victory over Perpignan was due to 29 points from the boot of Cedric Rosalen. The kicking of Thierry Lacroix, late of Saracens and Harlequins, accounted for all Peipignan's points. Agen, perhaps the best side left in the competition, thrashed BSziers 31-0 with the veteran forwards Abde-latif Benazzi and Philippe-Benetton scoring tries. England's attempt to regain the World Cup Sevens crown they won eight years ago was ended in emphatic fashion as they were crushed 33-5 by Australia in their quarter-final in Argentina. The wing Brendan Williams scored four of his side's five tries.

Fiji were made to work hard by Canada before winning 21-5 and Argentina beat South Africa 14-12. Robert Armstrong atThomond Park Munster38 Biarritz 29 The seemingly unstoppable Munster bandwagon rolls on. The grand old city of Limerick was en fete last night as the 14,000 delirious fans who saw their local heroes win a place in the Heineken Cup semifinals joined the rest of the province in joyous celebration of another heart-stopping victory at this emotionally charged fortress of Irish rugby. If Munster are fortunate enough to receive another home draw they will try to reach their second successive final in front of a "neutral" Lansdowne Road. Yesterday's exuberant red-capped cohorts were probably worth a 10-point start to Munster, who were doubly grateful as Biarritz pushed them to the wire.

This was cup rugby at its coruscating best, with the tenacious Frenchmen scoring four of the game's seven tries while Munster coolly capitalised on opposition errors, kicking every genuine scoring chance. Anthony Foley, the Ireland No8, made an extraordinary contribution with a hat-trick of tries but ultimately it was Ronan O'Gara's seven penalties and a conversion that killed off the French side. "It was probably our toughest ever game in the Heineken Cup," admitted Mick Galwey, the Munster captain. Munster had to dig deep into the reservoir of self-belief that has several times enabled them to come from behind to sustain their progress in the competition. In the first half Biarritz went 15-11 in front but Munster then struck an astonishing purple patch which saw them score a further 21 points without reply.

Trailing 32-15 the fighting French once again raised the stakes, scoring two converted tries in the final 15 minutes to reduce the deficit to only six points. Certainly the conventional view that French sides do not travel well proved to be a nonsense. Far from being intimidated by Munstcr's impressive record at Thomand Park, where they have not lost for five years, Biarritz brought superior qualities of skill and enterprise to this unpredictable contest, often second-guessing the Irishmen and making them look flat-footed. Munster had not been expecting a comfortable passage to the last four in view of Biarritz's reputation as a powerful mauling unit, yet nobody had dreamed of a scenario in which the French plundered two exhilarating tries in the first 15 minutes. Stuart Lcgg, the former Newcastle fullback, figured prominently in both scores, breaking down the left with strength before sending the flanker Christophe Milheres home and minutes later slickly rounding off a dazzling move begun by Frano Botica.

However, Biarritz brio served as a timely wake-up call to the Munster men, who plugged the obvious gaps in their defence. The first of Foley's tries, which was created in tandem by O'Gara and Alan Quinlan, was due reward for a determined drive to the left corner by the big No8. The ice cool O'Gara also hit the target with four penalties which allowed Munster to enter half-time with a 17-15 lead. O'Gara, Foley and Quinlan, who won the man-of-the- match award, each played a crucial role in building a commanding second-half lead. The power and accuracy of O'Gara's kicking kept Biarritz on the back foot and the com posed Foley scored 47th and 64th-minute tries in the right corner with invaluable support from Quinlan.

Munster were in danger of throwing the game away when Sebastien Bonnet intercepted on the halfway line and sprinted clear for a simple try which was rapidly followed by another short-range score from Milheres in the left corner. But fittingly O'Gara had the last word with a towering penalty which emphasised the healthy heartbeat of the Munster crusade. A 21 -point haul from Italy's fly-half Diego Domlnguez helped Stade Frangais defeat Pau 36-19 in Saturday's quarter-final in Paris. Scorers: Munster: Tries: Foley 3. Conversion: O'Gara.

Penalties: O'Gara 7. Biarritz: Tries: Milheres 2, legg, Bonnet. Conversions: Botica 3. Penalty: Botica. Munster: Ctotty, Kelly, Mulkns, Holland, Horgan; O'Gara, Slrmgei; Clohcssy, Sheahan.

Hayes, Galwey (capt), Langford, Quinlan, Wallace, Foley. Biarritz: Bonelh; Bcrnat-Salles, Bidabe, Couttet. Legg, Botica, Bonnet; Menieu, Gonzalez (capl), Avril, Versailles, Roumal, Belsen (T Lievrcmont, 63mm), Milheres, Nauroy. Referee: f. Morrison (England).

the Welsh-Scottish league proved embarrassingly one-sided. Even Henry's loquacity deserted him as the Wales coach desperately looked for a straw to grab hold of. "Mark Taylor played very well on his return today and will be in the frame for England," he said. "1 have got to try to take something positive from this weekend: the last thing I need is gloom and doom hanging over the players' heads this week." It was not long ago that Henry was urging the Welsh public not to get carried away by the prospect of beating England. At least he does not have that to worry about.

"Home advantage is a big Woodman leads the Gloucester wrecking crew The Tigers' first try was arguably their best, quick first-phase ball off the top of a line-out allowing Pat Howard to put Lloyd clear through the middle and Murphy to finish with a flourish. Two further scores in two minutes after the interval threatened a serious rout. Murphy pounced for his sec Gibbs. "I was wrong. As a country, we have to keep pace with the way the game is changing.

It looked in October as if we were doing that, but we have clearly fallen back again." Cardiff scrum-half Robert Howley, who was left to reflect last night that he could have been playing for Leicester this season, said: "This is the best Cardiff squad I've been involved with, but we hardly had a sniff of the ball against Gloucester. We were well beaten, but we gave everything. The fact that Gloucester have been struggling in the Zurich Premiership makes you think." Henry will announce his team tomorrow after Andrfi, Gloucester's coach. There may still be distrust among certain elements of the club but, tactically, the former French captain worked Cardiff out a treat, giving Peter Muller no room to create anything at inside-centre and opting to play to his own side's undoubted strengths. "It was very difficult for Cardiff to play as they didn't have the ball.

For 70-75 minutes we were in control of the game. Some people think we play old-fashioned rugby but scrums are still very important." Saint-Andr6 is the first to admit his side currently lack confidence and zip outside, scored eight tries despite being guilty of occasional lapses in concentration that allowed the French side to make their points tally respectable with three tries of their own. A quarter of the game had gone before Mont de Marsan were able to get into the Newcastle 22 and the move produced a try for Sebastien Loubsens, who profited from defensive lapses by Armstrong and Liam Botham. Such Gallic successes, though, were minor interruptions to Newcastle's points scoring. Their exciting young backs Jamie Noon, recently called into the England squad particularly caught the eye shaven head was bowed in frustration long before he was substituted.

The pressure had started to mount early, not least via the whistle of referee Alun Lewis, and the Leicester pack, led by Neil Back, whose performance belied a sleepless night battling a stomach bug, again barely seemed to miss Martin Johnson. while their last two trips to Twickenham have ended in record 34-point defeats. In the old days of friendly matches, Welsh clubs were often accused by their English counterparts of being overly physical and unnecessarily intimidatory. Few sides bothered coming over the Severn Bridge to take on Pontypool by the end. The wheel has turned.

What was most instructive about the weekend's Anglo-Welsh clashes was the physical superiority enjoyed by the English clubs, especially in the tackle area, where ball-carriers were often turned and dispossessed. "I thought we could do better than Cardiff," said the Swansea captain Scott now boast a top front row in every sense, not merely because of the initial letters of their christian names, and it is starting to show. Injuries and Test calls mean the trio have barely played in harness, but here Woodman stacked up an almost limitless number of psychological points against the Welsh captain Dai Young before this weekend's England-Wales showdown. If Woodman's stock rose appreciably in front of the watching England manager Clive Woodward, the past few days have also provided sweet justification for Philippe Saint- disciplined flanker. Newcastle's director of rugby, Rob Andrew, even had the luxury of taking Jonny Wilkinson out of the fray in preparation for Saturday's international against Wales, a move he described later as "common sense" with the game already won.

Wilkinson admitted that the decision to replace him had come as a surprise. "I heard Rob calling and thought he was going to give me some tactical spiel but he asked whether I fancied taking a break. It shows we are on the same wavelength." Andrew rightly recognised that it had been a comfortable afternoon for his side, who over and Swansea day worsened when Garin Jenkins. yellow-carded for a high tackle on Tuilagi, was followed to the bin by James Griffiths, who was unable to resist a sly punch on the blind side as the chaos around him deepened. With only 13 men manning the barricades, Howard's inside pass put Goode over with 15 minutes still remaining but Leicester were more than happy to let their replacements take the strain.

Paul Moriarty's last-minute try for Swansea fooled nobody and, after heavy punishment from Leicester and Stade Francais within the past eight days, their coach John Plumtree chose to single out Stade's forwards and the Tigers' backs for special mention. It was a bit like listening to astricken victim comparing the trajectory of different rifle bullets; either way, both sides are capable of inflicting some seriously damaging holes. Scorers: Leicester: Tries: Murphy 2, Healey, Goode. Conversions: Stimpson 3. Penalties: Stimpson 4.

Drop goal: Goode. Swansea: Try: Monarty. Conversion: Rees Penalty: A Thomas Leicester: Stimpson; Tuilagi, Lloyd (Gelderbloom, 45mm). Howard, Murphy: Goode, Healey (Hamillon, 52). Rowntree (Freshwater.

621. West (Cockerill. 67). Gartorth (Ncbbett. 731.

Deacon. Kay. Johnson. Back (capt: Moody, 66). Corry.

Swansea: Morgan; Payne. Taylor. Gibbs (capt), Robinson, A Thomas (Rees. 69), Martens (It Jones. 69): Morns, Jenkins (Smith.

71), Evans (Anthony, 60), Gntfiths. Moore. Lewis. Charvis (D Thomas 66), Jones (Monarty 71). Referee: A Lewis (Ireland).

Thomas, but the likes of Neil Jenkins and Rob Howley cannot possibly fare as poorly at the Millennium stadium. If they do, England will win with something to spare, for intimidating venues matter little if the home side are found wanting in the game's fundamentals. Scorers: Gloucester: Penalties: ManniK 6, Haywatd. Carditt: Tries: Walne, thomas Conversion: Jenkins Penalty: Jenkins. Gloucester: Catling; Ewens (Yales; 79mm), Fanolua, Little, Beim, Mannix (Hayw3rd, 65), Moncriefl (Gornarsall, 65).

Woodman, Ajam (Fortey, 76). Vickery IDeacon, 76). I idler, I Jones, 8oer, Jones (capl). Paraniore Hazcll. 70) Cardiff: Williams.

Walne, Robinson, Muller, Thomas, Jenkins, Howley, John, Humphreys, Young leapt, Rogers, 62I, Qumnell, Tail, 0 Williams IKacala, 59), Williams, Lewis. Refereo: Jutge (Trance), Jamie Noon: fine prospect receiving reports on a crop of players who have been struggling with injuries: David Young, Darren Morris, Taylor, Howley, Nathan Budgett, Robin McBryde and Rhys Williams. But there was one statistic for Henry to cling to: despite the comprehensive nature of the two defeats, the Welsh clubs were outscored on tries only by four to three. "Cardiff stopped us scoring tries by killing the ball," said Gloucester's captain, and Welsh international, Kingsley Jones. "The game in England is stronger physically, markedly so, but I would not write off Wales on Saturday.

Never in Cardiff." but Gloucester wobbled only briefly, notably when Simon Mannix risked a shedload more flak from his local detractors by missing three relatively easy first-half kicks. He slotted six others, however, and on the day Gloucester's failure to cross the try-line proved irrelevant. One weaving 50-metre burst by the full-back Chris Catling was almost the sum total of their backline threat, although a pudding of a pitch was not designed to encourage anyone to trip the light fantastic. Cardiff scored the game's only tries through the wings Nick Walne and Gareth created gaps in the French cover at will. By half-time the home side had a 15-point lead and the 60-pointbarrier was broken with injury time tries from' Tom May and Gareth Maclurc.

Scorers: Newcastle: Tries: Gotham, Noon, Walder 2, Hurler, Armstrong, May, Maclure. Conversions: Wilkinson 4, Walder 2. Ponaltlos: Wilkinson 3. Mont do Marsan: Tries: loubsens, Meilel, Ducamp. Conversion: Prosper.

Penalties: Prosper 2. Newcastle: Walder; Botham, Noon, May, Tuigamala; Wilkinson (Maclure, 63mm), Armstrong Charl'on, 62); Ward (Peel. Nesdale (Howe, h-tl, Hurler (Graham, 59), Grimes (Vyvyan, 50), Weir, Devonshire. Mower (Rule, 65), Jennet, Montde Marsan: Mcilet; Ducamp, Pomme (Darquier, -I), Loubsans, Toulouze lleroy, h-tl; Prosper, Caslaignede; EmmanuellilDoizot. 68).

Dehez, Sourgens (Michaud, 68), Lago (Parent, 70), I alanne, Alaqui, Martin IMonbcige, 70), le Corvee (Labat, 73). Referee: Thomas (Wales). thing," said Swansea's coach John Plumtree. "Perhaps Wales would have something to worry about if the international was being played at Twickenham, but at the Millennium Stadium, in front of their own crowd, they will be competitive." The matches at Gloucester and Leicester resembled Wales's trips to Twickenham in the past 11 years: the losers came a bad second even though Cardiff and Swansea fielded 23 internationals between them. Wales have won more internationals against England than they have lost, but the margin is down from 12 in 1989 to five.

Wales's two victories since 1989 have been by a point bizarrcly scheduled for 6.40pm in Dublin on Wednesday week. What can be said is that, aside from Stade Frangais, no team left in the competition have a more powerful, destructive front five than the Cherry and White wrecking crew who demolished Cardiff's European dream on Saturday. At Kingsholm they revere their gnarled old forward heroes like no others but Mike Burton, John Fidler and Mike league, who presented the current team with their jerseys before kick-off, may finally have to move aside. In Trevor Woodman, Olivier Azam and Phil Vickery, Gloucester can by the loss of three Fijian internationals, including Waisale Severi on world sevens duty. The visitors' cause was further undermined in the 18th minute when the flanker Philippe Alaqui was sent off.

Ten minutes earlier he had appeared to gouge Newcastle's Gary Armstrong, an incident that was unseen by the Welsh international referee Clayton Thomas. But when Alaqui threw a haymaker that connected with the former Scottish international he was not so lucky and Thomas had no hesitation in producing the red card. Any outside chance the visitors had departed with the ill- Robert Kitson at Kingsholm Gloucester 21 Cardiff 15 By the time the Heineken Cup semi-finals eventually come around in late April, few will waste time recalling precisely how Gloucester earned their ticket to ride. The tournament is so protracted that women unaware they were pregnant on the opening weekend will attend the final clutching their midwives' phone numbers. It will be another nine days before Gloucester learn whom they will play and where, the draw for the semi-finals Newcastle make their numbers count European Shield Michael Prestage at Kingston Park Newcastle 61 Newcastle booked their passage into the semi-finals of the European Shield with a comprehensive demolition of Mont de Marsan yesterday and with Harlequins also achieving a remarkable victory against French opposition it raises the spectre of a repeat of the Tetley's Bitter Cup final on a European stage.

The Geordies' passage was undoubtedly easier than that enjoyed by Quins. The French side was seriously weakened.