Munster’s Lions trio are set for their seasonal debuts on Saturday with Tommy O’Donnell believing Peter O’Mahony has returned from the New Zealand tour a better captain.

As if presiding over a performance Rassie Erasmus yesterday described as the “worst” of his Munster tenure was not painful enough, last Friday’s heavy defeat has further depleted the province’s second-row stocks.

Munster 51 - Cheetahs 18: Munster coach Rassie Erasmus has warned against reading too much into the province’s eight try-rout of his native Toyota Cheetahs in a hopelessly one-sided Guinness PRO14 game at Thomond Park on Saturday.

Jacques Nienaber has rejected criticism of Munster’s Champions Cup semi-final performance against Saracens a fortnight ago, insisting the province was beaten simply by “a better plan”.

In 10 years time, one wonders where Munster will be drawing players from.

WE set off up the steep road from the pier, past the ruined friary.