Let’s stand down our famed No 8 shirt

It’s still difficult to come to terms with the surreal events in Paris last weekend. Munster trips to the French capital haven’t been the most pleasant of experiences in recent times.

Last season’s initial sojourn was postponed in the aftermath of the horrific terrorist atrocities that brought the city to its knees.

When Munster’s Champions Cup game against Stade Francais was rescheduled a few weeks later, the heavily armed army presence on the streets of the St Michel district where we were staying offered an eerie backdrop to a city that so often resonates history, colour, and beauty. On that occasion a large black cloud hung over the entire city.