“There is massive opportunity in this disappointment and hopefully we can see the bright side of it.”

Anthony Foley has acknowledged that the combination of an inexperienced coaching ticket and a playing-group shorn of veteran players through injury and retirement saw Munster struggle to compete this season.

Amidst the mountain of names mentioned yesterday as possible replacements for Matt O’Connor’s Leinster job, it was that of Robbie Deans that emerged on top with the New Zealander’s tumbling odds squaring with earlier smoke signals from sources.

LISTEN to Connacht’s new chief executive for a while and it becomes perfectly clear that reaching the Heineken Cup was not the pinnacle of the westerners’ ambitions but the base camp.