Donal Lenihan: Irish momentum grinds to a shuddering halt in Champions Cup

CLOSE QUARTÉRS: Leinster and Saracens forwards locked in battle for control of a maul in Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium. Picture: Inpho/Dan Sheridan

For years before finally cracking what was required to succeed in Europe, Munster thrived on the underdog tag, playing with a chip on both shoulders over some grievance — manufactured or otherwise — and relying on their unbridled passion to see them over the line.

Strange then to see a side who have won three of the last four Heineken Champions Cups arrive at the Aviva Stadium choosing to play from the same deck. Saracens’ self-inflicted fall from grace over breaches of the Premiership salary cap resulted in them travelling to Dublin shorn 10 of the matchday squad that inflicted Leinster’s last defeat in the 2019 final in Newcastle.