Donal Lenihan: South African influence will be a ray of sunshine for ailing PRO14

The PRO14 has been a damp squib this season with no meaningful challenge presented by any of the Scottish, Welsh, or Italian teams

Closer to home, those expecting another bonus-point try fest in Thomond Park were delusional, given the quality of defences on show. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

It proved a revealing weekend of action on two vastly different, but soon to merge, fronts. Thomond Park hosted Munster and Leinster, the two teams hotly tipped to contest the Guinness PRO14 final next March, even if Ulster will have a big say on that.

Outside of the undisputed all-Irish top three, Connacht remained in the hunt in Conference B hosting the Welsh district’s leading side Ospreys, who fielded a number of players likely to feature for Wales in their Six Nations opener against Ireland.