Brian Liebenberg: Back after a long injury lay-off

Trevor Brennan behind the bar of the De Danu Irish pub which he owns in Toulouse

The disgraced ex-Leinster and Ireland player has opened up to RTE in a candid documentary about his new life in Toulouse and the ups and downs of his career.

Mr Brennan, from Kildare, captained AIB League side St Mary's, played for Leinster and has 13 Irish caps to his name.

His career came to a sudden halt when he dramatically punched Ulster fan Patrick Bamford at a match in France three years ago — an incident that initially got him banned from the game for life.

He later appealed and the ban was reduced to five years, although he still had to cough up over €30,000 in fines.

The ban comes to an end in June 2012.

The ex-Toulouse lock said he regretted climbing into the stands and assaulting Mr Bamford.

Mr Brennan (40) said that a group of Ulster fans had been |riling him as he warmed up on |the sidelines at a Heineken Cup match in Toulouse's Stade Ernest Wallon.

“I climbed the wall and did what I did,” he said. “I regret this incident. That is the last thing I wished to do.”

One witness said that Mr Brennan lunged towards Mr Bamford and began striking him as hard as he could in the face with his |fists.

The assault left Ulster supporters shocked and surprised.

Mr Brennan was charged with misconduct and an independent disciplinary committee ruled that the player should be banned from participation in any capacity in tournaments organised by the European Rugby Cup.

In This Sporting Life, he revealed his desire to get back on the pitch.

“Despite having ended his career with a ban, he has aspirations to play again some day, in some form,” a RTE source said.

“We also see how much he has been embraced by the people of Toulouse, who will never forget the great joy he gave them on the pitch as a player.”

Mr Brennan now lives in Toulouse with his wife Paula and three sons where he runs De Danu Irish bar, as well as Trevor Brennan Rugby Tours.

The RTE television series follows six of Ireland's most eminent sportsmen and women, including golfer Christy O'Connor Jr, athlete Catherina McKiernan, footballer Tony Cascarino, jockey Paul Carberry and Gaelic footballer Dessie Farrell.

The programme airs on July 22 at 7pm on RTE 1.

LEINSTER bid to get last weekend's Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to Toulouse out of their system tomorrow when they take on Edinburgh at the RDS (6.15) seeking to gain winning momentum ahead of the Magners League play-offs.

It means 14 of the side that was out-gunned by Toulouse will take to the field tomorrow, with open side Dominic Ryan, coming in for the injured Shane Jennings, the only alteration to last weekend's starting XV.

Bernard Jackman was ruled out of selection due to a knee injury and may have played his last game of the season, but there is a welcome return for back-row Sean O'Brien who is named on an extended bench.

O'Brien's recovery from the broken leg he sustained in February is particularly timely with Ireland's summer tour a matter of weeks away and the Carlow man can expect to see some action in the second half if he is retained in the final seven replacements.

Girvan Dempsey should also be introduced to receive the approval of the RDS faithful after the popular Terenure man announced his retirement this week.

Edinburgh are chasing five points to keep alive their slim hopes of a play-off spot and welcome back experienced Scotland back-row Ally Hogg for his first start since December.

The Scots have a powerful front-row of Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford and Kyle Traynor while Dutchman Tim Visser brings power, pace and a nose for the tryline to the right-wing berth.

Making the play-offs requires five points from this clash and Cardiff Blues beating Munster at home tomorrow, with neither side claiming a bonus point.

It's a big ask but Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat believes his men have the ability to secure an unlikely four-try bonus-point victory in Dublin.

"We know what we have to do this weekend and the teams who finish in the top four and qualify for the play-offs are those who deserve to on their form over the whole season," said Moffat.

"We know we are capable of getting five points from the game in Dublin and that is not said with any disrespect to Leinster, who are among the best teams in Europe and who will be hurting at their Heineken defeat last weekend.

"It's said from the fact that when we play to the best of our ability, we can beat the best teams in Europe -- just as we have against Stade Francais, the Ospreys, Bath and Munster this season," Moffat continued.

Positive

Such a positive outlook does not sit well with Edinburgh's dire performance in their recent 25-37 home defeat to Ulster -- the result that sealed off Connacht's Magners League route to the Heineken Cup.

Furthermore, Leinster have won their last 14 league matches at their Ballsbridge home and, after their brave performance last weekend, will be desperate to reward their supporters with a comprehensive victory.

The home team look stronger in every area of the park and in Rob Kearney, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Isa Nacewa, they carry plenty of menace out wide.

It all points to a comfortable home win which should be adorned by plenty of tries, allowing Leinster to cruise into a home semi-final.

Verdict: Leinster

LEINSTER -- R Kearney; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, I Nacewa; S Berne, E Reddan; C Healy, J Fogarty, S Wright; L Cullen (capt), N Hines; K McLaughlin, D Ryan, J Heaslip. Reps (from): R Strauss, M Ross, CJ van der Linde, M O'Kelly, S O'Brien, Stephen Keogh, P O'Donoghue, F McFadden, G Dempsey.

EDINBURGH -- J Thompson; T Visser, B Cairns, N de Luca, M Robertson; P Godman, G Laidlaw; A Jacobsen, R Ford, K Traynor; S MacLeod, S Turnbull; A MacDonald, R Grant (capt), A Hogg. Reps: A Kelly, G Cross, J Hamilton, S Newlands, M Blair/D Blair, J Houston, A Turnbull.

REF -- J Jones (Wales).

Leinster v Edinburgh,

Tomorrow, live, Setanta Ireland, 6.15

- Hugh Farrelly

Irish Independent

In a week littered with injury news, there was some welcome relief yesterday for Declan Kidney with the return of Sean O'Brien to the Leinster squad.

The return of the abrasive back-row for the province's final league game of the season is a welcome boost for Michael Cheika ahead of the home semi-final in a week's time.

The Tullow native's recovery couldn't have come at a better time for Ireland after Stephen Ferris fractured his cheekbone in training earlier in the week, almost certainly ruling him out of the summer tour.

O'Brien comes into a Leinster squad looking to arrest the recent slide that has seen them lose their last two league games -- albeit after securing qualification for the play-offs -- and exit the Heineken Cup at the hands of Toulouse.

Having missed that match, Jonathan Sexton completed a full training session yesterday and is in the squad alongside Girvan Dempsey, who yesterday announced he is to retire at the end of the season.

Shane Jennings is being monitored after rolling his ankle against Toulouse, while youngsters Rhys Ruddock and Dominic Ryan are named amongst the forwards ahead of tomorrow's team announcement.

Assistant coach Alan Gaffney said the side are keen to bounce back from last week's disappointment ahead of the play-offs.

"There's still a bit to play for even though there was disappointment at the weekend," he said. "We know that we've got to finish the season strongly and there's a real determination to do so.

"We have had a good season so far in both competitions and to not go on now would be a disappointment. Toulouse played very well, but having watched the game since Saturday I don't think that we we're too far away ourselves.

execution

"The better side did win on the day and I feel that our execution could have been better. Toulouse are an experienced side with a lot of quality on their squad from one to 23."

Munster go into the final round of games with a slim chance of a home semi-final against Cardiff Blues, but also the very real prospect of not reaching the final four at all.

Failure to gain at least a losing bonus point will see them exit the competition and Tony McGahan's men must still do without Paul O'Connell, who remains out with his troublesome groin injury.

Doug Howlett and Ian Dowling also miss out, having been late withdrawals from the Heineken Cup semi-final team to face Biarritz. Danny Barnes is added to the backs, while Dave Ryan and Billy Holland come into the forwards for the crucial clash against the Challenge Cup finalists.

Michael Bradley will hope to sign off on his career as Connacht coach by guiding the westerners to their first victory at Ravenhill in four decades.

Bradley will end his seven-year stint at the Belfast venue having missed out on an elusive Heineken Cup place with last week's heartbreaking defeat to Toulon.

Michael Swift is out with a foot injury, while centre Keith Matthews, flanker Ray Ofisa and young winger Tiernan O'Halloran are also on the sideline.

A 58-10 hammering at the hands of the Scarlets combined with Ulster's bonus-point win at Edinburgh means the all-or-nothing nature of the final game is gone. But Connacht will still hope to give the Corkman a good send-off before ushering in a new era under assistant Eric Elwood.

"We still see Ulster as a yardstick to measure our season against," Bradley said. "Even though there's nothing to play for in terms of qualifying for the Heineken Cup next season, our focus remains on improving our away form and getting a result in Ravenhill.

"Ulster played very well when they came to the Sportsground back in September."

Squads in Factfile

- Ruaidhri O'Connor

Irish Independent

Out of reach: Marcus Horan

Marcus Horan offered a passionate defence of Irish rugby following a trio of sobering results in Europe.

Munster, Leinster and Connacht fell to French opposition over the weekend with the Top 14 supplying three of the finalists in the Heineken and Amlin Challenge Cups.

In a bruising pair of semi-finals, Leinster were convincingly dispatched by Toulouse while an unspectacular Biarritz ground out victory over Munster.

The lack of Irish representation in the Heineken Cup final for the first time in three years comes two months after the national team surrendered their Grand Slam to a vastly superior France.

But Horan, the Ireland and Munster prop, denies the nation's fortunes are on the slide.

"What can you read into these results when the draws were so tough with both Munster and Leinster coming to France?" he said.

"We both acquitted ourselves really well and both teams can be very proud of what they did.

"It was always going to be a tough test for us. After a quarter-final at home we knew we'd have to go to France twice and win both times if we were to win the competition.

"That would be a huge test for any team but to say that it means Irish rugby is on the way down is unfair."

Munster's defeat was the most dispiriting as it appeared to confirm suspicions that they are a fading force in Europe.

A day after a patched-up Leinster had been predictably outgunned by favourites Toulouse, they were overpowered 18-7 by a Biarritz side that finished a lowly seventh in the Top 14.

Yet Horan is surprised that Munster's obituary is being written and insists the 2006 and 2008 champions will be spurred on by the negativity.

"We've been written off before and it drives us. It's amazing how one game can turn things around," said the 32-year-old.

"There's a lot of fight left in the guys and these kind of defeats can only make the fellas stronger.

"This has happened to us before. We've had 10 years of it but still came back so I can't see why we can't come back from it again."

Munster's pedigree in Europe is second only to three-times champions Toulouse and they have been perennial contenders in the competition over the last decade.

Inevitably age has caught up with them and the main concern is that too many players are the wrong side of 30.

Established Ireland internationals Keith Earls and Tomas O'Leary have provided an injection of youth, but otherwise Munster's proud veterans now look a little too grizzled.

Critics claim the team urgently requires overhauling, but Horan insists they remain as ambitious as ever.

"Well, we are ageing. We're all getting older but a lot of us are playing some great rugby at the moment," he said.

"There's still great drive. There's a great mix of young players as well. It's always important to have a mix like that.

"No matter what team you are, as the years go on people will always say that you're getting too old. It's an excuse that people will use.

"But the drive is definitely there. Guys are keen and it still means so much to them."

Full-back Paul Warwick believes Munster will continue to challenge for European honours next season.

"This team definitely still has it in them - we are not a fading force," he said.

"There's huge desire and ambition and that will never be questioned with the talent we have in the dressing room."

AT a time when his scrummaging will be coming under CSI scrutiny, it is important to reiterate the following: Cian Healy has the right stuff.

Indeed, the loose-head's response in the adversity of Leinster going out of the Heineken Cup to what is clearly a phenomenal Toulouse side mirrored that of his team, whose performance in Saturday's semi-final was overflowing with character and courage.

Healy's number was up with half an hour gone. He had been given 30 minutes' torment by Toulouse tight-head Benoit Lecouls, who exerted enormous pressure driving through and across from the right.

Dan Human (or Dan Inhuman as he was referred to afterwards) was wreaking havoc on the far side and the result was a Leinster scrum in moonwalk mode, coughing up penalties and points with no solid platform for Jamie Heaslip or Eoin Reddan to provide front-foot momentum.

It was a May Day mayday to coach Michael Cheika and out came the shepherd's crook. Healy made the "walk of shame" off the soggy sward of the Stade Municipal, offered the obligatory hand to his replacement CJ van der Linde, and slumped down onto the Leinster bench. A member of the back-room team draped a tracksuit top around his shoulders which Healy immediately pulled over his head before hunching in disconsolate stillness for the rest of the half.

You could not but feel for the youngster. Healy is only 22 (the propping equivalent of adolescence), has made enormous progress over the past 16 months, and had played his part in a superb first-half defensive effort.

And, for all his understandable despondency, when he get his shot at redemption in the second half he responded superbly, one of many nuggets of encouragement to extract from an afternoon of collective disappointment.

It may go unnoticed in the sweeping summations of the champions' exit, but Ireland forwards coach Gert Smal will not have missed the fact that it was the all-Irish front-row of Healy, John Fogarty and Mike Ross (on for Van der Linde as the last option) who, in the final few minutes, produced the two most secure scrums of Leinster's long goodbye.

We make no apologies for beating this drum once again because it needs to be said (slowly and with effect). Ross. Can. Scrummage. Yes, he needs to improve his impact around the pitch and, consequently, has mobility issues to address, but ... say it with me ... Ross can scrummage.

Never was the importance of that simple statement emphasised more vehemently than on Saturday.

Van der Linde is returning home soon and, though injury problems have undoubtedly been a factor, whatever way you look at it, the South African has been an expensively poor investment.

He has a reputation as one of the most fearsome scrummagers in the game but was impotent against the Toulouse grizzlies.

Both camps zoned in on the set-piece afterwards with scrum-half Byron Kelleher revealing how this had been top of the Toulouse target-list all week.

"Everyone knows that your tight five are the ones that set the platform," said the delighted All Black. "We drummed it into our tight five this week to make sure that they did the job and they responded."

Leinster captain Leo Cullen also conceded that the scrum had been critical to the result. "They put a lot of pressure on us in that area," he acknowledged. "We take pride in our scrum normally and we were definitely disappointed with the way we performed."

In the immediate aftermath of a crushing defeat, deflation was natural when asked the unavoidable question about the "mood in the dressing-room" and there was annoyance at crucial penalty giveaways and their defensive grip slipping in the second half. However, when he added, "I don't think we gave a full account of ourselves", Cullen did not reflect the realities of the situation.

Consider the following. Toulouse, with a budget advantage somewhere in the region of €13m, were able to bring Maxime Medard, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Jean-Baptiste Poux and Louis Picamoles off a bench packed with international quality. Leinster had no such options.

They went into the game with a squad battered by injury and minus their key playmaker Jonathan Sexton. Over the 80 minutes, they lost four players to attrition and still made Toulouse fight every inch for this victory.

From Rob Kearney to Brian O'Driscoll, Shaun Berne, Reddan, Fogarty, Cullen and the back-row, this was a side that held their hands up in trying circumstances. There is no shame in losing to this Toulouse outfit on their own patch.

Nor is there any need for a cloak of despair; Healy and his team-mates can hold their heads high.

- Hugh Farrelly at the Stade Municipal

Irish Independent