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Champagne Moments 30 Apr

30th April 2008 By Munster Rugby Supporters Club

Champagne Moments 30 Apr

Again, we would like to thank Shaun Payne for taking time to answer some questions from Supporters. What was the over-riding feeling in the changing room after the win against Sarries, delight with the win or relief that we’d overcome a very testing opponent? A bit of both really. Obviously delighted to be going to another final but there was an awareness that we had left ourselves in a very difficult position in those closing moments. Have you seen much of Toulouse this season, what do you make of them? Yes I saw some of their earlier games, the game against Cardiff in the quarter final. We watched their game against London Irish in the hotel when we arrived. They are one of the great sides, not of European rugby but of world rugby. Before May 24th we’ll face three very difficult matches, Ulster,Llanelli and Glasgow; will these games be approached differently now that we have the final in front of us? No the matches themselves wont be nor will the preparation itself. There will be changes in personnel becuase we play three games in six days and so we’ll use the full squad to cope with such a hectic schedule. But the emphasis will be the same, maintain momentum right up to our final game. Next season if we find ourselves in a similar position to now we will have to contemplate at least one if not two more matches in the Magners League play-offs – are we asking too much of our players? No I don’t think so if we use our squad sensibly. If we were asking the same players to play all the time, then yes adding on extra fixtures would be too much, but we’re not. For example Munster have played 23 competitive games this season, I’ve started in 15 of those. Even I could manange a few more. Finally, it looks like we’re in for a very emotional end to the season with Axel retiring and other changes to the squad and management being rumoured in the press; what do players do to keep their minds focussed on the games in hand? We’re lucky in that we have a lot of seasoned players who have been down this road before. They in turn help to keep those who haven’t, grounded. I think we’re also have experienced manangement people who know what to expect and who are well versed in the what is needed to keep the players properly focussed. Questions posed by Eamonn Keane The previous Champagne Moments can be viewed HERE Filed by Darren Desmond 30 April 2008

Again, we would like to thank Shaun Payne for taking time to answer some questions from Supporters. What was the over-riding feeling in the changing room after the win against Sarries, delight with the win or relief that we’d overcome a very testing opponent? A bit of both really. Obviously delighted to be going to another final but there was an awareness that we had left ourselves in a very difficult position in those closing moments. Have you seen much of Toulouse this season, what do you make of them? Yes I saw some of their earlier games, the game against Cardiff in the quarter final. We watched their game against London Irish in the hotel when we arrived. They are one of the great sides, not of European rugby but of world rugby. Before May 24th we’ll face three very difficult matches, Ulster,Llanelli and Glasgow; will these games be approached differently now that we have the final in front of us? No the matches themselves wont be nor will the preparation itself. There will be changes in personnel becuase we play three games in six days and so we’ll use the full squad to cope with such a hectic schedule. But the emphasis will be the same, maintain momentum right up to our final game. Next season if we find ourselves in a similar position to now we will have to contemplate at least one if not two more matches in the Magners League play-offs – are we asking too much of our players? No I don’t think so if we use our squad sensibly. If we were asking the same players to play all the time, then yes adding on extra fixtures would be too much, but we’re not. For example Munster have played 23 competitive games this season, I’ve started in 15 of those. Even I could manange a few more. Finally, it looks like we’re in for a very emotional end to the season with Axel retiring and other changes to the squad and management being rumoured in the press; what do players do to keep their minds focussed on the games in hand? We’re lucky in that we have a lot of seasoned players who have been down this road before. They in turn help to keep those who haven’t, grounded. I think we’re also have experienced manangement people who know what to expect and who are well versed in the what is needed to keep the players properly focussed. Questions posed by Eamonn Keane The previous Champagne Moments can be viewed HERE Filed by Darren Desmond 30 April 2008

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