Munster’s unsung heroes rise to the challenge

The international contingent get all the breaks. With Joe Schmidt hosting a pre-Christmas camp in Carton House early in the week, the onus fell on the supporting cast in the provinces with Gordon D’Arcy the only player who started in Ireland’s last outing against Australia asked to play in the festive derbies in Limerick and Belfast yesterday.

With Thomond Park already sold out, there was a degree of dissatisfaction in the air with the team selections on both sides but on the half-time whistle the crowd rose to acclaim the efforts of both sides in what proved a cracking contest, played in a brilliant atmosphere.

Munster have always been supported by a knowledgeable crowd who recognise honesty of effort and that is exactly what they got from a side that gave everything. Even when Munster lost two key back rowers to injury in Robin Copeland and Tommy O’Donnell they lost nothing in terms of effectiveness, with the impact off the bench of their respective replacements in Paddy Butler and Dave O’Callaghan.