How appropriate the two sides finishing first and second in the regular season contest the Guinness Pro 12 final in Belfast next Saturday. Like the league, both semi-finals went to the wire with a single score separating the teams after two great clashes over the weekend.

Munster 21 Ospreys 18: Paul O’Connell has spent the last few months, in public at least, ruminating over the right way to retire from professional sport and has been at pains to point out that not every athlete is fortunate to bow out from their sport in the manner of their choosing.

Munster gave Paul O'Connell a rousing curtain call as they booked their place in next week's Guinness Pro12 after surviving an almighty scare form Ospreys in a pulsating semi-final at Thomond Park.