Fighting Irish ready for another eyesore

If the Exiles win, their reward will be a semi-final at Twickenham – announced yesterday as the prospective venue – against the winners of Toulouse v Cardiff on Sunday.

Coach Brian Smith openly fears the worst after the bad blood caused by the fractious back-to-back Anglo-French pool collisions in Reading and Catalonia last December.

First Perpignan, indignant during and after, thought they were refereed out of the game at the Madejski Stadium by Scottish referee Malcolm Changleng. After they had publicly said so, Changleng gave up officiating at this exalted level.

But that was nothing compared to what occurred a week later at Stade Aime Giral, where the 2003 Heineken finalists overturned the 24-16 deficit from the first match to win 23-6 in a blizzard and Irish flanker Kieran Roche was given a fractured eye-socket by Perry Freshwater.

The England World Cup prop, leading the French side, was cited and suspended for a month for what London Irish called a “cowardly tackle”, which put Roche out of rugby for longer than Freshwater’s ban. Yet it is Perpignan who feel they are victims.

Hence Smith’s apprehension. “We haven’t forgotten about it and we will get our own back if we win the game. That’s all Kieran wants,” he said. “We know what’s coming and we are ready.

“We want to win the game, but we know sometimes you have to win the arm-wrestle as well. Perpignan have made no secret of using old-school tactics. It was pretty apparent when we played them over there.”

Smith characterises this as “knock-’em-down, drag-’em-out”, and London Irish will be placing great reliance on 2007 World Cup final referee Alain Rolland to impose discipline.

As Rolland, an ex-Ireland scrum-half, is the son of a French father and Irish mother, for once there can be no complaints about a communications breakdown. “We know everyone will be focusing on the Kieran Roche aspect, but the referee is a real stickler for stamping out foul play,” said the Exiles’ forward coach Toby Booth. “We are delighted with that because there’s only so much you can do as a coach or as a player.”

The dangers of the London Irish players being lured into retaliating even if they instigate nothing are plain but, according to Booth, it will not be allowed to happen.

“Categorically, no,” he said. “Alain Rolland is the referee, he is aware of the previous stuff and will have done his research as referees always do.

“He knows exactly what we are expecting from them and vice-versa. I’m sure he will make it clear to everyone that will not be tolerated. The game is going to be tough enough without playing it with 14 players on the pitch.” Booth and Smith used last Sunday’s victory over Bristol at the Madejski both as an end in itself and as a dry run for Perpignan, not in terms of prospective misconduct by the visitors but because Bristol provided a similar overt physical challenge.

“Discipline is a massive thing we have been working on,” said Booth. “We want to be competitive but not stupid at the breakdowns. We know the adrenaline of the situation.”

Perpignan come to England on a terrific roll since their two pool fixtures against Irish – only three defeats in 12 matches and, as of last weekend when they won in Bourgoin, a place in the top four of the French championship for the first time this season.

Saracens yesterday announced a sell-out crowd for the first time in their history, let alone the 11 years they have been in Watford, when they play the Ospreys in another quarter-final on Sunday.

The Vicarage Road capacity of 18,214 is restricted by redevelopment work. Sarries did draw more than 20,000 to a title decider against Newcastle in 1998.

Saracens or the Ospreys will also have the benefit of a “home” semi-final against Gloucester or Munster, which for Sarries would mean Coventry City’s Ricoh Arena and for the Ospreys the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Promoted Northampton have signed Argentina lock Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 33, from Sale for next season, their seventh acquisition in preparation for their immediate return to the Premiership.