Hepburn set for Euro battle
By Mark Stevens
18/1/19
In what is the 'Main Event' of the weekend, prized fighters Munster and Exeter Chiefs will fight to the finish in their quest to reach the knock-out stages of this season's Heineken Champions Cup.
Just four points separate the Irish Province and the visiting Chiefs at the top of Pool Two - and the stakes could not be any higher as they prepare to trade blows at a sold-out Thomond Park tomorrow (5:30pm).
Back-to-back, bonus-point victories for the Chiefs have given Rob Baxter's side a fighting chance to advance into the last eight, this after their hopes appeared done and dusted having failed to collect a win from their opening three games in this year's tournament.
The fight, however, is never over, until it's over, and having hung around long enough, they enter this final qualification weekend with something tangible to go after.
A bonus-point win in Limerick will ensure the Chiefs advance to the last eight at the expense of their hosts, whilst a regulation victory - depriving Munster of any kind of bonus point - will also see the current Gallagher Premiership leaders advance onwards.
However, the fly in the ointment as far as the Chiefs are concerned is that Munster, themselves two-time European Cup winners, are no mugs on home turf. In 19 seasons of featuring in this competition, they have lost just four times in their own backyard.
It represents a formidable challenge for the visitors from Devon, but it's a challenge prop Alec Hepburn and his team-mates are clearly relishing.
"We're hugely excited," said the England international. "Obviously, the Munster fans are very passionate, it's a big stadium, a lot of people will be there, so there's lots to look forward to. Make no mistake, they are a formidable team, but equally we're not a bad team ourselves. Saturday will be a good heavyweight clash between two good teams."
With the two having shared the spoils 10-10 in Round One, this latest encounter has all the ingredients in place to serve up a mouth-watering showdown.
"The weather played a big part in that first game," explained Hepburn. "The conditions hampered both teams that day, so I don't think we got to see the best of each other. We know they are strong at the breakdown, they've got a good set-piece, and they have a very efficient driving line-out, so we've got to be aware of those threats."
Equally, the Chiefs have numerous threats of their own, a point underlined in last weekend's 34-12 victory over Castres.
Knowing nothing less than victory would suffice against the French champions last Sunday, Baxter's side delivered one of their best displays of the season so far, ensuring they head across the Irish Sea with confidence flying high within the camp.
"We knew we had to win last week," he continued. "We knew we had to get five points to give ourselves a chance this week and that's what we got. This week, it's pretty similar in the fact we know we have to win, but it will be a different kind of pressure. I'm sure, however, the guys will thrive in that environment."