Brian O’Driscoll says he could never understand or accept why people from Leinster would support Munster in the early years of the Heineken Cup.

A derby without BOD.

As Leinster and Munster prepare to do battle at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, memories of past encounters provide a much-needed reminder of how relevant this fixture is in the Irish rugby landscape.

Saying ‘yes’ was the easy part, but having fulfilled his ambition to be Munster head coach Anthony Foley will lean on the coaches he faithfully served as he prepares to take charge of his beloved province next season.

Anthony Foley was the only man for the job and Munster chief Garrett Fitzgerald is happy to entrust a favourite son with the task of returning the province to glory days.

Munster chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald admits it is “common sense” to install Anthony Foley as a leading contender to succeed Rob Penney as head coach but that the search for the New Zealander’s replacement goes beyond one man.

IN financing the contract that keeps Sean O’Brien at Leinster and with Ireland for at least two more years, the IRFU has cleverly looked beyond the euro signs and the zeros.

Munster have tied down the services of forwards coach Anthony Foley for another season, ending speculation the 2006 Heineken Cup-winning captain was set to join Joe Schmidt’s Ireland management team on a full-time basis.

Yesterday’s statement by the IRFU thanked Declan Kidney’s “unquestionable commitment, passion, professionalism and success he has delivered to Irish Rugby to date”.

One of the most sage pieces of advice offered to RTÉ head of sport Ryle Nugent was that if he survived the first 10 years without people liking or disliking his rugby commentary, he might just make it. On the eve of his 15th season behind the mic, he evidently succeeded.

Not that it would happen, but if Anthony Foley were to face a “show us your medals” moment in his first week as Ireland’s stand-in forwards coach, he would be one of a select few to have savoured a Six Nations win in Paris.

Munster Rugby chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald insists the race to succeed Tony McGahan as the province’s director of coaching will not be a “personality competition”.

The news Tony McGahan is to return to his native Australia to become defence coach with the Wallabies is superb for him on a personal level but not so good for Munster.

IT’S not that they hate each other, they just hate to lose to each other.

THEY’VE been getting a little bit hot and bothered over a book up in Donegal, if you haven’t heard.

Following extensive medical consultation, Munster rugby have announced today that Ian Dowling will retire from professional rugby, as a result of a hip injury sustained earlier this season.

MUNSTER could face a trip to Barcelona in next season’s Heineken Cup if Group 1 opponents Perpignan get their way.

In slow motion, it looked like he was treating Cullen’s face like a bowling ball, looking for the holes where he would put his fingers. Even if it wasn’t deliberate – and we will never know what went through Quinlan’s mind in that split-second – it was still a dangerous thing to do.

JUST one more interminable day to go now before the mother of all Irish derbies, but the highlight of Chris Whitaker’s season, of his entire stay here in Ireland, has already come and gone. His wife Alison gave birth to their third child a few weeks back and the Whitakers now have three delicate, precious buds to nurture in the shapes of Lilly Rose, Jasmine Blossom and, the latest arrival, Poppy Petal.

IAN DOWLING is expected to take up his normal position on Munster “s left wing in tomorrow’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Leinster at Croke Park.

MUNSTER back row forward Alan Quinlan is expecting a Leinster backlash in Saturday’s All-Ireland Heineken Cup semi-final at Croke Park.

THE tantalising prospect of an All-Ireland Heineken Cup semi-final between Munster and Leinster moved closer after yesterday’s semi-finals draw in Edinburgh.

Gloucester 12 Cardiff Blues 16

PHILIPPE Saint-André has described Sale’s Heineken Cup clash with Munster on Friday night as ‘a win or die affair’.

Gloucester 22 Biarritz 10

IF you want proof of how much Ireland has progressed as a country over the last 20 years you’ll find it in the achievements of the Celtic Tiger’s generation of sports stars.

THE great and the good of Munster and Shannon Rugby turned out in force last night in Limerick for the launch of Anthony Foley’s autobiography, Axel: A Memoir.

JASON HOLLAND is the new Munster backs coach after head coach Tony McGahan completed the make-up of his back room team yesterday, while the Australian also made several key appointments within the provincial coaching structure.

Declan Kidney gave away less than little, as is his nature, in the announcement of a 26-player squad for the Heineken Cup final against Toulouse at The Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

THE Munster team will receive a €50,000 welcome home on Leeside after the Heineken Cup final — win or lose.

After a difficult season with Ireland, Peter Stringer is ‘chomping at the bit’ to get back on the pitch for Munster’s quarter-final with Gloucester tomorrow, he tells Edward Newman.

Eddie O’Sullivan’s reign as Ireland coach has ended, and the hunt will soon begin for his successor.

PAUL O’CONNELL, Alan Quinlan, Tony Buckley and Peter Stringer return to strengthen Munster’s Magners League challenge this weekend, but the search for Ronan O’Gara’s back-up seems set to continue after Jeremy Manning’s announcement that he is to return to New Zealand at the end of the season.

Munster 19 Wasps 3

CLERMONT AUVERGNE, Munster’s Heineken Cup opponents in two weeks’ time, have been dealt a serious blow with the loss of John Smit through injury in a training-ground accident.

MUNSTER rugby chiefs are hot on the trail of All Black speedster, Doug Howlett, but face opposition from clubs in England and France.

MUNSTER RUGBY may not have been born in the USA, but the official final run–in to their new season began in Chicago yesterday.

Munster will have their sights set on a reprise of their 2006 Heineken Cup victory when they open this year's campaign with a clash against Wasps on November 10.

PAUL O’CONNELL could lead his Munster team out for the first rugby game at the revamped Wembley Stadium.

MUNSTER are closing on New Zealand Maori captain Rua Tipoki — despite the inside centre’s disciplinary problems.

HE calls Munster’s 2006 Heineken Cup win “a fairytale”, and looking back now he clearly understands why. Out of Africa and into the Munster maelstrom of another emotional European odyssey, Trevor Halstead was a shining light throughout the 2005/06 Heineken Cup winning campaign.

FOREVER more, they’ll be spoken of in the same awed tones as the Munster team that defeated the All Blacks in 1978.

Munster captain Anthony Foley has paid tribute to the team's fans following their Heineken Cup victory in Cardiff yesterday.