European Rugby Cup : Quinnell predicts Munster to edge Cardiff final

Scott Quinnell at the draw for the 2008 Pool Draw

Quinnell predicts Munster to edge Cardiff final

20 May 2008, 1:42 pm

Scott Quinnell believes "one piece of magic or maybe one mistake" will determine the outcome of the 2008 Heineken cup final, and tipped the Irish side to edge it in Cardiff.

"Munster just have the edge at the moment,” he said on the day it was announced that Edinburgh will host the 2009 Heineken Cup final.

"Munster have a great pack of forwards and I think they've married that over the last 18 months with a back line that can go forward."

Munster’s famed front eight has taken them to top of European rankings, and shrewd dealings in the transfer market since their 2006 triumph have seem the addition of southern hemisphere trio Rua Tipoki, Lifeimi Mafi and Doug Howlett.

Between them they have contributed four tries as Munster progressed from the ‘Pool of Death’ and marched to their fourth Heineken cup final with wins over Gloucester Saracens in the knockout stages.

"Munster have really evolved thier game in the past 18 monthes with the addition of Tipoki and Mafi and have created a centre partnership that rivals any in Europe.

Quinnell singled out the men he believes could tip the scales in favour of their respective sides, and the former Scarlet thinks that John Hayes could be the man for Munster." Hayes has been playing the best rugby of his life over the last couple of years,” he said.

"He's been one of the most consistent players they've had" This comes after he was written off for scrummaging a couple of year ago.

But Quinnell also believes that Toulouse are more than capable of winning, "If Toulouse players turn up and play the type of rugby they are capable of."

Quinnell says veteran Fabien Pelous is crucial to Toulouse as his side push to become the first team to lift the Heineken cup on four occasions. He said: "Pelous controls their lineout and he controls the tempo of their game."

The Toulouse lock could become the first player to captain a team to a hat-trick of Heineken cup final victories.

Both Declan Kidney and Guy Noves are due to announce their match day 22s at the pre match press conference on Friday.