Kelly On Tigers Through The Seasons

As Munster prepare to renew a historic rivalry against Leicester Tigers at Thomond Park on Saturday, we chat with former player John Kelly, a man well versed in the challenge of Tigers having lined out for Munster in all four previous European encounters with the Englishmen.

To date, the spoils are evenly split across both teams in Europe’s premier competition with two wins a piece and interestingly neither side has ever won against the other on home soil. Kelly amassed 150 caps for his native province across eleven seasons and his appearances against Leicester are amongst his most memorable. So what is it at about this fixture that brings out the best in both sides?

“Munster and Leicester are very similar in many ways, especially when it comes to the roots and values of the clubs. They have very much been about home grown players and having a really tight bond within the group. Leicester were great competitors against us, and while it not always looked like it on the pitch, there was a huge amount of mutual respect between the two clubs.

“Traditionally Leicester would have been seen as very forward orientated and very tough, not the flashiest of teams and that was similar to the way we were perceived. That was undervaluing both clubs – both clubs have always had a huge amount of talent and I used to relish those games, Tigers battles were always the most physical.

“I remember reading Matt Hampson’s book (former Tigers academy prop who became paralysed while playing rugby). What he said about their clubhouse and their relationship with supporters resonated a lot with Munster, meeting supporters on the street and knowing them by name. He also spoke of a great camaraderie in the dressing room which Munster also had and still have.”

While many Munster fans and pundits alike will recall tales of the 2002 Heineken Cup final defeat and the province’s subsequent vengeance in the 2003 quarter-final at Welford Road, or indeed Munster’s first European loss at Thomond Park in 2007, when asked about his most memorable of the sides’ four meetings to date, Kelly recalled what he describes as ‘the least discussed one’.

“It really is hard to pick one, but in some ways mine is the least discussed one and it’s the away pool fixture of ‘06/’07 in Welford Road. I know we didn’t win by that much (19-21) but we were very dominant in that game and went at them very hard from the start.

“I remember Trevor Halstead scoring a try. I had given him the pass and I remember hearing that Alan Quinlan had jumped up on the bench in celebration, smacking his head off the roof and needed to get stitched.

“That game saw us go to Leicester and defeat them two games on the trot at Welford Road, not an easy thing to do for any team and hence that game is particularly memorable.

“As regards the most memorable moment from those four games, I remember Rob Henderson making a massive hit on Austin Healy and another of the Leicester players in the 2003 quarter-final. After that Healy disappeared for the rest of the game. That was a moment early in the game and it laid down a marker. Peter Stringer also scored a great try off wonderful flowing rugby and that goes back to the point that this team was seen as a dog of a team that just mauled and trundled over but if you look back at that game you’ll see that when Munster played at pace, aggression and physicality, you couldn’t match us.

“I can’t not look back at the final. People complained about Neil Back’s hand and yes we did have an opportunity, but being honest I think Leicester deserved to win that game. They outplayed us and had we managed to score off the scrum we’d have walked off the pitch thinking we were lucky to win that one.”

No doubt motivated by the men in red’s consecutive victories over them in front of their home fans, come January 2007, Tigers returned the favour to Munster in becoming the first away side to win at Thomond Park in European competition – ending a 26 game unbeaten run.

“That was actually my last game in Thomond Park, in fact I barley played after that because of a series of injuries. You talk about retiring on a high but I think most players finish their rugby career with some form of injury or disappointment and that was the way mine finished in Thomond. Not only did we lose but I went off injured after about 20 minutes with a popped rib. Watching from the medical room I saw us lose and that was pretty hard to take.

“Because we had remained undefeated in Thomond Park for so long, every time we went out there the stakes got bigger and bigger and it was always in the back of our minds that we were protecting the record, but it couldn’t last forever, and if it was to go to anyone, Leicester were the right team.

“Leicester were excellent that day – Ian Humphries played 10 and had the game of his life. He put up a number of spiralling garryowens and I remember Shaun Payne dropped one, and he never dropped a ball in his life, so it was really just one of those days where it’s not your day.”

Many parallels can be drawn between the wonderful home and travelling support of Munster and Leicester fans who themselves have built up a wonderful rapport and, much like their teams, a mutual respect for each other’s passionate support. As someone who knows first-hand the lift ‘The 16^th Man’ has given Munster in Thomond Park for over 20 European seasons, Kelly is hoping for another strong and vocal show of support come kick-off under lights on Saturday, especially with Tigers in town.

“Home support counts for a huge amount and for me as a player there was no better feeling than running down the slope at the old Thomond Park as it was then. By running down the old slope you were almost launched out onto the pitch and a stadium full of manic roars.

“The really big days where you are facing English opposition and possibly with your backs against the wall, and then to hear that noise, that’s when it really had an Impact.

“It’s great for our players and if Munster start well and give the crowd something to cheer about early on, that support just gets bigger and bigger and then supporters start getting on the backs of the away players and that undoubtedly has an impact.

“I’ve been on the receiving end of that where we’ve played away from home and one or two things go against you, then all of a sudden the crowd goes against you and panic starts to set in.

“Munster supporters have a massive role to play on Saturday and I’d love to see a heaving Thomond Park with a lot of people making a lot of noise in Munster’s favour. If they get behind the team they really can make a difference in the game.”

Munster v Leicester Tigers, European Champions Cup, Saturday December 12th at Thomond Park – KO 7.45pm.

Tickets:

• Adults from €;20
• Families from €;60
• Student from €;10

Purchase tickets online here, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Office at Thomond Park and Irish Independent Park, or by calling 0818 719 300.

Tickets for these games can also be purchased as part of a Three Match Pack. Choose any three home games of your choice from the Champions Cup and/or Guinness PRO12. Match Packs start from just €;45 and also save you 10% across the cost of all three tickets. Click here to build yours.

Leicester Tigers Train Service

Outward journey
Those travelling from Kent Station, Cork can choose from a wide variety of departure times. The first two trains depart at 7am and 8am after which trains will depart at 20 past the hour, every hour.

Return journey
A specially commissioned train service will depart Limerick train station following the game at 10:30pm.

For more information and to book please click here.