All roads lead to Twickenham. Realistically it's no better than a 50-50 match as the bookmakers quickly insisted yesterday - and even that possibly doesn't make full allowance for Northampton effectively having home advantage - but it couldn't be set up better now. Taking out the pick of French and English opposition on their soil would leave no room for argument. Champions of Europe then and no mistake.
If last Saturday had seemed like the icing, then the Heineken Cup final on May 27th in Twickenham between Munster and Northampton could be even tastier. Following Northampton's injury time 31-28 semi-final win over Llanelli, London's greater access by air and variety of hotels also makes it a preferable option.
Furthermore, home demand in Cardiff due to the residual Millennium Stadium fever in Wales would have exceeded that of Northampton/English interest. Hence, with a 72,000 capacity at Twickenham, tickets and access will be a good deal more spectator friendly than the semi-final.
"Munster can have as many as they like, within reason," according to ERC tournament director Roger Pickering. "They'll sell the two lower tiers of 55,000 first and then move on to the rest. If Munster want 25,000 they'll get them. If they want 60,000 that might be a problem. But we should be able to satisfy everyone. Our attitude is to look after the two clubs first and anybody else after that."
That there could be ten times the vociferous band who travelled to the Stade Lescure last Saturday is more than feasible. "When I said you dream of days like today, that's what you actually do," admitted Declan Kidney. "Just to be a part of that is absolute brilliant. I suppose this is a bit of a maths' teacher coming in. We knew we were going to have 2,500 people here and at a minimum of u400 that's between u1 and u1.5 £400 that's between £1 million and £1.5 million spent to come down here and support us. How could you but give everything you have for that? They were here for the day. It wasn't a weekend, they're all back on planes after the game, they were all really genuine supporters."
They'd heard of one fellow (brother of ex-Old Crescent coach Jed O'Dywer, who described his sibling as "mad") who'd hopped on a motorbike with a friend outside the Hurler's in Limerick on Thursday and on Saturday was facing a 300-mile trip just to make the return ferry from Dover. Amid all the feel good factor, there'll be a helluva backslappers meeting in some Bank of Ireland boardroom this week. Sponsoring this truly vintage Munster has turned out to be an inspired call and never more so than in Bordeaux on Saturday with a doubly beneficial, pro-active role when issuing all passengers to Bordeaux out of Shannon and Cork with kit bags containing red hats and scarves. Colour can be a surprisingly notable absentee amongst Irish rugby supporters but aside from protecting heads from southern French sun it added to the impact of the travelling hordes.
Some of them lost it altogether, as the tears flowed, and that was just in the press box. Mention too, has to be made of the hospitality afforded the visiting fans throughout their stay. Indeed, from the Toulouse fans as well, many of whom readily applauded the team bus as it made its exit from Stade Lescure to the airport.
Re-routed onto a jumbo jet with Munster supporters, Kidney himself was surprised as to how quiet the heroes at the front of the bus were "and how much water was being consumed," said Kidney. The entire squad had consumed 28 and a half cases of 1.5 litres bottles of water in their three days in Bordeaux. "I wouldn't know the weight-loss as a group but I wouldn't be surprised if some players lost up to half a stone.
"The final will be completely different," forewarned Kidney. "It's in three weeks time and expectation is going to change, but we're going to be away from home and Northampton showed great resolve to come through. They're a good side. They wouldn't be in the final otherwise."
Munster's progress will possibly realise a £400,000 to £500,000 dividend to the IRFU, with that to be divided up between Munster and the rest as the union see fit, but the commercial spin-offs are another matter again.
As to the vexed issue of Keith Wood's fitness for the final, Kidney said the extent of his calf injury wouldn't be known until tomorrow, but that the talismanic hooker would be resting for a week to ten days. When asked himself how long the injury would sideline him, Wood winked: "Twenty days."
Mindful of the forthcoming Irish tour of the Americas, Kidney was unsure of the need for a practice match in the next three weeks, but the logistics of it are probably too great anyhow.
As an aside, the squad of 28 or so for the three-test tour of the Americas in June will be announced today and a few, not least David Wallace, assuredly cemented their place in that list. Extraordinary times. After a rollercoaster of a ride this season, Irish rugby is now on an almighty roll and for the next three weeks Munster will welcome everyone aboard. Not that they'll have much choice mind.
