Don’t for a minute underestimate the value of Munster’s Heineken Cup win over Racing Metro on Sunday.

Rob Penney admitted he was ready to don a flak jacket had Munster failed to earn a Heineken Cup quarter-final slot at Thomond Park yesterday.

Courtesy of that decisive win for Montpellier over Toulon on Saturday, qualification for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals via the one remaining best runners-up slot turned into the straight Leinster-Munster shoot-out Irish fans feared in advance of the weekend.

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt has named his side for Friday night’s Heineken Cup match against Racing-Métro 92 at the Stade Yves du Manoir, kick-off 8pm.