Wilkinson’s been a kicking slot machine, Coughlan’s grafted for every quid he’s earned

Everyone is a fan of James Coughlan because, with Munster, he did his talking on the pitch.

There haven’t been many players in Munster who have performed as consistently as Coughlan over the last five years. Hence, it’s a disappointment for their supporters — myself included — that he’s leaving for Pau in France’s Pro D2 with new coach Simon Mannix.

What I understand is Coughlan approached Munster with one year left on his contract to establish whether he was in line for a sufficiently rewarding new contract, presumably a new two-year deal. No such guarantee was forthcoming, so he took a decision that essentially looks after his family and his future.