Munster players let fans down — with performance after their Cup defeat

AFTER the bitterly disappointing defeat by Llanelli last weekend, I was surprised by the behaviour of some Munster players as they prepared to leave the stadium afterwards.

Several long-standing Munster supporters decided to stay in the ground, for up to two hours in the cold, to cheer the team as they walked to the refreshment marquee before departing in the team bus. This crowd consisted of older people, parents with young children, teenagers and young lads in their twenties.

While many of the players acknowledged the small crowd, stood for photographs and signed autographs, several walked past ignoring the supporters who were calling them by name and wishing them well. I also witnessed one player refusing to autograph a young lad’s programme as he went to board the bus.

As the bus prepared to leave, to the cheers of the supporters, not one of its occupants waved or smiled in acknowledgement.

God knows how upset they were after such a crushing defeat, but the fans were not immune to the disappointment either. We waited behind to show our team solidarity in defeat, and now I wonder what they would feel if we turned our backs on them on such occasions.

However, I do not think that this fact crossed the minds of the squad and their entourage as they departed Stradey Park at 11:30pm.

Sarah Willson,

Tregarron,

Langham Road,

Teddington,

Middlesex, TW11.