Sheahan Will Meet Wasps Head On

Wasps were in scintillating form recently when they tore English premiership rivals Gloucester to shreds last week.

And although warren Gatland's men impressed the on looking Sheahan, the no-nonsense Irish hooker insisted the Thormond Park outfit will not take

a backward step come the semi-final clash.

"I watched them against Gloucester and they played extremely well," said the 17-times capped 27-year-old. "They attacked them up front, and were

quite ruthless in not even conceding a try.

"Wasps have been the form team in England for the past two years. This is probably their best chance to win the Heineken Cup so you would have

to make them favourites.

"With Warren Gatland there as coach he will pride himself on his side's defensive qualities. He will have them drilled to attack us, so if we

can contain them up front, and try and pick a few holes through their defence, that's how we can exploit them.

A place in the final against either Toulouse or Biarritz will lie in store for Sunday's triumphant side, with the Irish province keen to go one better than last year's semi-final slump.

And Sheahan reckons the key to that is getting the basics right when it counts.

"But we just have to concentrate on ourselves and get our game right. If we can impose our game on them, and get the simple things right then we

will be a hard team to beat.

"Preparations are going quite well. With it being a Sunday kick-off we have not been training as intensely as normal earlier in the week, there

are no injuries in the camp. And we expect Alan Quinlan to be fit in time for the match.

"I think we are just going to have to try and contain them up front. We will have to try and breach their defence.

A full-house is expected at the famous Irish ground for Munster's fifth semi-final in five years, with the majority of supporters expected to be

cheering on the red of Munster.

But rugged front-rower Sheahan doesn't think the men from across theIrish Sea will be fazed by the partisan crowd.

"It is a bonus having a home semi-final, but, as the Heineken Cup progresses, it is becoming less and less of an advantage," he said.

"There is fierce experience in many of the club sides, for example the likes of Dallaglio, Worsley and Lewsey, who are all World Cup winners,

so they won't be too fazed by coming to a hostile Lansdowne Road."