Forget about the bonus point, the seven tries scored or the margin of victory, the most pleasing and significant moment of Munster’s comprehensive 49-5 win over Zebre on Saturday was the return to action of their captain Peter O’Mahony.

The immediate response on the final whistle at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was one of acute disappointment given Ireland finished this gruelling series camped on the South African line after a 19-phase onslaught in search of what could have been a winning score and a series clincher. It was that tight.

There’s a huge onus on Ireland’s new boys to hold the defensive line, writes Donal Lenihan.

After the sobering sight of four World Cup semi-finalists coming from the southern hemisphere, last weekend offered a glimmer of hope for European rugby. The question now is, was it an aberration or a line in the sand?

There are few more stunning backdrops to an international rugby stadium than the one that greets you on your arrival at Newlands Stadium. Nestled to the rear of the imposing, rugged features that define Table Mountain, it sets the scene perfectly for what lies ahead. This is South Africa, this is Springbok rugby.

You just wonder what was going through Joe Schmidt’s mind as he boarded Ireland’s flight from Heathrow to Cape Town last Sunday night.