Munster fail in farcical attempt to stay in Heineken Cup

The nerve-endings must be seriously inflamed down Limerick way, judging by yesterday's peculiar piece of Heineken Cup business. Munster, who must win and win big against Gloucester at Thomond Park on Saturday if they are to make a fifth successive appearance in the knock-out stage of the world's most competitive club tournament, spent the day attempting to persuade the organisers that they should progress as one of two best group runners-up, even if they finish third in their pool. Yes, honestly.

"I still cannot see why, if you're in a very difficult pool, as we are, and that if you win four games and achieve eight points and are the equal of any of the other teams that run second in their group and score more tries than them, you should not qualify as number seven or eight in the quarter-final draw," said Alan Gaffney, the Australian coach who succeeded Declan Kidney at the Munster helm following the narrow defeat by Leicester in last season's final. "I don't understand this, so we are seeking clarification on it."

Gaffney's assertion that the tournament regulations did not specifically preclude a third-placed team from qualifying for the knock-out draw cut little ice with the administrators, European Rugby Cup Ltd. Their rule book does not make a point of outlawing the kidnapping of opposition players in the latter stages of close matches, either, but there is no recorded example of a coach seeking clarification on the issue in the hope that it might be allowed in extreme circumstances.

Predictably, ERC rejected Gaffney's suggestion out of hand. Munster, currently second in Pool Two but wilting under the heat generated by Bernard Goutta's excellent Perpignan side, will almost certainly have to beat Gloucester, the English Premiership leaders, by four clear tries to claim a place in the last eight. In the absence of two outstanding international forwards, David Wallace and Paul O'Connell, their chances are rather less than great.

This weekend's pool stage finale is studded with captivating Anglo-Irish fixtures. Bristol, who face a quality Leinster outfit on Sunday, are likely to recall Phil Christophers, their England wing, while Northampton have dropped their right wing, the Spaniard Oriol Ripol, for tomorrow night's demanding trip to Ulster. James Brooks, a versatile little so-and-so straight out of the Austin Healey mould, will start. The Ulstermen have named a side unchanged from that which won in Cardiff last weekend, thereby guaranteeing a fascinating conclusion to an outstanding cycle of Pool Six matches.

Montferrand, cash-rich but results-poor in European rugby this term, yesterday lost their captain, the brilliant French international flanker Olivier Magne. "My decision is irrevocable," said Magne in a resignation statement. "I want to give the players a shock, and it is now up to them to react like men."

Since Magne, who will continue to play, succeeded Eric Lecomte Montferrand have managed just one victory on the road and have dropped two Heineken matches at home.

While Magne was voluntarily taking a back seat, dozens of South African Super 12 players were being forced to do something similar. No fewer than 53 of last season's 129 contracted professionals failed to make the cut for the 2003 tournament following a clear-out involving all four Springbok franchises. However, some of the more notable absentees – Joost van der Westhuizen, Rassie Erasmus, Os du Randt and Marius Joubert among them – are on a rehabilitation programme following injury and may feature in the latter stages of the proceedings.