Munster's First Third Jersey

When Rob Penney's team take on Saracens this Saturday, they aren't talking about the medieval term for Muslims, or the British armoured personnel carrier, they're referring to Saracens F.C., the professional rugby team - and they're defending an unbeaten 3-0 Heineken Cup record against the north London side...

Saracens were arguably the first of the English clubs to dip into the high profile transfer market, in 1995 bringing in players such as Michael Lynagh, Philippe Sella, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon's "we've got to win the world cup") and the Dublin-born England captain Kyran Bracken.  A foray into aggressive marketing in 1997-8 seems to pre-date the efforts of even Stade Francais' Max Guazzini, leading to the Fez Army as the most fervent London Boks supporters are called.  Ever since the introduction of South African scrum-half Neil de Kock, there has been a steady Springbok supplementing of the team, with Schalk Brits, John Smit and even director of rugby Dr Brendan Venter doing nothing to shirk the "Saffracens" tag with his exploits...

Shading it against Gloucester last week, Saracens will have their full complement back at their disposal for this weekend's trip to Thomond Park.  Scotland back row talent Kelly Brown, as well as Springbok Schalk Brits are back in the fold.  This is not to mention the All Black-slaying England stars:

England's Saracens contingent hold aloft the Sir Edmund Hillary Shield

Under the tutelage of ex-Saracen Andy Farrell, tries from Brad Barritt and Chris Ashton helped England to a 38-21 victory over a norovirus-struck New Zealand on Saturday 1st December 2012.  Not only will the Ash Splash return to Vicarage Road, IRB 2012 Player of the Year nominee Owen Farrell (four penalties and a drop goal against the World Champions), Alex Goode and Mako Vunipola will all fill the teamsheet.

Backs Coach Leinster 2000-02
Head Coach Munster 2002-05
Director of Rugby Saracens 2006-08
Technical Consultant Leinster 2008-10
Backs Coach Ireland 2008-11

Shane Byrne spent two years hooking at Saracens

A tough task for Munster so, but they have an ace in the pocket in Peter Stringer.  It wasn't only Alan Gaffney and Shane "The Mullet" Byrne who spent time at Vicarage Road, the diminutive scrum half was rented by Saracens from Munster on a 3 month contract last season following injuries to Neil de Kock and Richard Wigglesworth on Saracens' side, and the emergence of Conor Murray on Munster's side.  Having lost two Heineken Cup finals and won two with Munster, Strings instilled invaluable experience to the London side, with the result that this season, Saracens sit 3 points clear of Munster atop Pool 1.  Conor Murray is now picking Stringer's brain ahead of the back-to-back clashes, such is the insight the 98 times capped Irish scrum-half possesses... 

Whilst Munster have their own Ireland internationals to welcome back to the fold, an interesting predicament has cropped up.  Saracens are taking the rules of the Heineken Cup to the extreme, and insisting that when Munster visit Vicarage Road next weekend, they neither don their home nor their alternative jersey.  Heineken Cup Tournament Rule 3 states:

For pool matches and quarter-finals, in the event of a colour clash, the away club will change jerseys.  For the semi-finals and final in the event of a colour clash the club selected to change jersey will be by toss of a coin.

Saracens are literally following the letter of the law, with a clash of colours meaning adidas have to produce a new jersey specifically for this one match.

Saracens home jersey 2012-13

Munster home jersey 2012-13

Because the broadcasters found that there was not sufficient difference between Munster's home jersey and Saracens' red hooped home jersey, and subsequently Munster's alternative jersey and Saracen's home jersey, Munster are being forced under competition rules to change.

Munster alternative jersey 2012-13

Saracens alternative jersey 2012-13

It begs the question, is this necessary when Saracens' alternative jersey produces no such offensive clash of patterns or colours.

More than likely not, and insiders say that the ERC pleaded with Saracens on two occasions to cease with such trifles and take their alternative kit off the hangars.  Regardless, adidas are making this one-off exclusive, with none available for for retail.  Whilst this jersey should arguably not even be in existence, curiosity begs as to why last season's white hooped alternative jersey was not employed, or the alternative jersey from 2008-09?

Munster's first third (Heineken Cup) jersey

Doug Howlett asking what's wrong with
2011-12's alternative jersey?

Donncha perplexed as to why 2008-09's
alternative jersey isn't good enough

Saracens may feel the have a psychological edge won, a victorious skirmish before the battle.  Whilst such matters presumably don't irk consummate professionals, a jersey as honoured as the red one can possess intangible power.  Only in 2008 did the New York Yankees shell out $50,000 to excavate a Boston Red Sox jersey from the stadium, surreptitiously entombed as a hex by a construction worker hailing from Chicago.  Whatever the case, the matches will be titanic to watch, with both teams possessing impressive stats, Saracens having 100% success on their own lineout throws, and Munster currently able to maintain 97% of ball at rucks and mauls, a tournament record.  The one-off jersey fiasco brings up unpleasant memories from the 2008-09 season, when Toulouse pulled a fast one on Munster, tweaking tournament rules so that Toulouse would play in red in the final, and therefore Munster would have to play in navy.  Not that this mattered a damn.

The last time a team tried to pull a jersey change on Munster