Montauban 19 Clermont Auvergne 24

THIS wasn’t how we imagined it to be, not by any stretch. The new Thomond Park, the improved Thomond Park, the superb full-length space-age stands packed to the rafters with the red-shirted hordes, but — and this was always the biggest concern — would the old Thomond Park atmosphere still be there?

Munster required a 78th-minute penalty from Ronan O’Gara to end Montauban’s stubborn resistance and avoid what would have been one of the biggest shocks in Heineken Cup history.

Connacht’s hopes of some play-off action ended six weeks ago, but they sent Montpellier packing with a four-try 26-13 win in a wet European Challenge Cup encounter tonight.

Ireland 43 Romania 12

IRISH coach Eddie O’Sullivan, quite understandably, fears the strength of the Romanian pack at Lansdowne Road tomorrow but he might also be well advised to keep a watchful eye on a couple of highly promising young backs who played key roles in last week’s late, late 22-20 victory over Canada in Bucharest.

Ireland can expect a bruising forward battle at Lansdowne Road on Saturday after Romania named a pack made up entirely of French-based professionals.