DEAN RYAN believes the hype surrounding Gloucester’s exciting young England hopefuls is “distracting from reality” as his team look destined for an early Heineken Cup exit.

Biarritz 22 Northampton 10

Munster giant Paul O’Connell has urged the newly-crowned European champions to “kick on” next season and follow an example set by English heavyweights Wasps and Leicester.

FOREVER more, they’ll be spoken of in the same awed tones as the Munster team that defeated the All Blacks in 1978.

EUROPEAN Rugby officials rejected suggestions yesterday that screening scenes from Limerick’s O’Connell Street had any effect in deciding the destination of the Heineken Cup in Munster’s favour.

IT wasn’t exactly a classic and sometimes it was far from pretty...but if you’re from Munster, who cares?

LONG regarded as Munster’s 16th man, the province’s fans were pinpointed as the crucial difference between the sides on Saturday by Biarritz’s scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili.

IT WAS fitting that the Man of the Match should have the last say, and when Peter Stringer hoisted an 84th-minute kick into touch at the Millennium Stadium, Munster’s long wait for Heineken Cup glory was over.

Munster skipper Anthony Foley declared his side worthy winners of the 2006 Heineken Cup and predicted today’s triumph over Biarritz is only the prelude to a dynasty of European glory.

Biarritz 19 Munster 23

A Ronan O'Gara kick has put Munster on the scoreboard against Biarritz in today's Heineken Cup final.

THIS is the day when the 16th man will REALLY make his presence felt!

Anthony Foley believes the pain of previous Heineken Cup final defeats will inspire Munster to glory in Saturday’s showdown with Biarritz.

EVERYWHERE you go it’s the same. Since the tremendous victory over Leinster, interest in Munster’s quest for European fulfilment has been phenomenal.

THERE’S a school of thought which suggests the word honcho derives from the Basque term jauntxo, which means boss man.

IF CLARE hurling was haunted by the curse of Biddy Earley for years, one wonders what external forces are contriving to deprive Munster of European Cup success.

Biarritz 11 Sale 6

Biarritz 43 Saracens 13

Ulster 8 Biarritz 24

Wales 11 Fiji 10