A day Munster didn’t get the reward they deserved

For the second weekend in a row, Ulster have kept Irish Champions Cup qualification hopes alive with a smashing win in Toulouse. Back-to-back victories over the former standard bearers in Europe represents an excellent start to the reign of Les Kiss as he begins to make his presence felt in Belfast.

If you’re of the glass half full variety — it is the festive season after all — then with three games left in Pool 4 and 15 points still on offer, Munster will attempt to convince anyone prepared to listen it is still mathematically possible to qualify for the knockout stage as a best runner up.

With consecutive encounters against Stade Francais to come in January, that may have a slightly delusional feel to it but after their best performance of the season to date, Munster just have to keep on battling. After a fourth Pool 5 defeat on the bounce, Leinster don’t even have that to cling onto. Anthony Foley must feel the world is against him with the news Donnchadh Ryan was forced to withdraw a few hours before kickoff yesterday due to illness. On the back of losing BJ Botha earlier in the week due to a second concussion in a month, the withdrawal of another experienced international from the key front five battle was the last thing Munster needed.