From reject to Euro star

This is the same McIlwham who adopted a "have boots, will travel" motto after being rejected by Glasgow in 2002 (he claims a 20% reduction in his contract meant he had to leave). He pulled out of Scotland’s North America tour to find work and ended up joining Bordeaux alongside Jim McLaren. In his first season, the club was promptly relegated, a move that rendered his contract worthless.

The amiable prop then found himself in the same bizarre position as Wales’ Colin Charvis, a valued member of the national World Cup squad, but unable to secure a club contract at least partly because of his Scotland commitments in Australia. "I almost ducked out of the World Cup," he says, "but thankfully Munster came in for me and I’m hoping to spend one more year here before retiring."

Understandably, McIlwham can hardly believe his good fortune while struggling to contain his bitterness with a two-word message to Glasgow’s authorities that doesn’t get past the SOS firewall. "I was annoyed when they dumped me but still I almost rejoined Glasgow at the start of this season. Ultimately they went for Matty Proudfoot on a two-year contract when I was offered one year and nothing (financially) compared to what they paid him." With Proudfoot’s weight said to be approaching 150kg (23+ stones in the old money), there is a question mark hanging over the South African’s ability to get to the pitch, never mind his effectiveness once he’s there.

But rather than harking backwards, McIlwham is focusing on next weekend’s semi-final against Wasps which, despite being at Lansdowne Road rather than Thomond Park, has seen phenomenal demand for seats. "The tickets went on sale last week at 8.15 in the morning and some guys were camping out all night to get their hands on them. For the quarter-final there were even fans who flew to Paris to buy the Stade Francais allocation they were so keen to see the match. The fans are mad for rugby around here."

That enthusiasm doesn’t stop at the fans, as McIlwham argues one of the main contrasts between Munster and Glasgow is the sheer hunger exhibited by the players at the respective clubs. "There are one or two small things that make the difference and if the players aren’t needed by Munster, they really want to play for their club teams which was never really the case at Glasgow. We only have two, maybe three, rugby sessions a week so that helps maintain your enthusiasm for the game.

Obviously we will lose that Thomond Park unbeaten record at some point in the future," McIlwham continues, "but everyone is determined that it isn’t going to be on their shift. You just don’t want to let the fans down."

In the extremely unlikely event that the Heineken Cup final was ever scheduled for the 13,000-seater capacity of Cork’s Thomond Park, then the bookmakers would be out of business before you could say "Munster". The Irish province, perennial bridesmaids in Europe’s premier club competition, have an unparalleled record at home in Europe, remaining unbeaten over the last 18 matches that stretch back nine years to the 1995 inception of the contest.

Unfortunately for the Irish side, their record in the Heineken Cup is equally unparalleled, though far less appreciated in the local pubs and clubs where the men in red meet to discuss the sport that dominates the south-west of Ireland in much the same way that it does the same area of France. Munster have made it through to the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup every year for the last five, but have yet to lift the trophy. But since their last four semis were all staged in France, the question on everyone’s lips is whether Munster can make "home" advantage at Lansdowne Road (Munster were allocated 20,000 tickets with 2000 going to the Londoners) count against Wasps who are understandably ranked No.1 in Europe.

The Irish province have come desperately close in the past, competing in two of the last six finals. In 1999 it took an inspired performance from Northampton’s Pat Lam to deny the Munstermen by a single point and several years later the 2002 final was made infamous by the "Backhander" - Neil Back forever tarnishing his reputation by illegally scooping the ball out of Peter Stringer’s hands as the little scrum- half was about to feed an attacking scrum five yards from the Leicester line. The Tigers triumphed in the end 15-9.

Munster boast a strong squad, contributing ten members to the national team that won their first Triple Crown in 17 years of asking, including the most consistent halfback pairing in the Northern Hemisphere. If these players have a problem with winning big games sporting Munster’s famous red jerseys, it hasn’t affected them in the green of Ireland - just ask Lawrence Dallaglio, although he may be biased having declared himself a big Munster fan.

"Munster are an awesome side whose record in the Heineken Cup speaks for itself," said the England and Wasps skipper following his side’s quarter-final humiliation of Gloucester. The "favourites" tag in the run-up to any big match is about as welcome as a boil on the backside, and Dallaglio may be simply playing the war of words that traditionally accompany these occasions, but he has backed up his flattery with harder evidence.

"I have been a fan of theirs and I actually supported them in the past. I went by train to Lille to watch them play Stade Francais in the 2001 semi- final."

But from spectator three years ago, Dallaglio now promises to exert a more telling influence on the outcome of this match. His side have lost just two of their last 12 matches, while Munster have lost five of their last seven. Wasps didn’t so much beat Gloucester in the quarter-final, as rub their noses in the Causeway Stadium dirt and rarely can England props Phil Vickery and Trevor Woodman have been rendered so wholly ineffective.

On Saturday the Lansdowne Road crowd may act as an extra man for the nearly men of Euro rugby, but given the awe-inspiring game Wasps are showcasing, there is a feeling that Munster will need all the help they can get. At least whatever else happens in Dublin, that Thomond Park record will stay intact on Gordon McIlwham’s watch.

Heineken Cup semi-finals: Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Sunday April 25