Irish provinces digging in to keep up with deep European pockets

QUITE how Ireland’s World Cup hangover will be reflected in the upcoming rounds of the Champions Cup remains to be seen.

If we were feeling deflated after recent events in England and Wales, that won’t be eased much by the sprinkling of some of the southern hemisphere’s finest around Europe — well, France and England to be precise — as a plethora of the game’s top players call a halt to their international careers, for the time being at least.

World champions New Zealand lead the exodus, with Conrad Smith and Colin Slade heading to Pau to link up with a clutter of former Munster men. Ma’a Nonu is off to Toulon and Ben Franks to London Irish.