Drained Munster shouldn’t sniff at Welford Road bonus point

History does have a habit of repeating itself, especially in European Cup rugby. Ten years ago Ronan O’Gara stood over a match-winning penalty kick bang on the halfway line to deliver a rare win at Welford Road against a quality Leicester outfit. He nailed it.

Munster were the reigning Heineken Cup champions at the time and that epic 19-21 victory added another chapter to what had already become a tome of sporting highs. On this occasion as Owen Williams lined up an even more challenging effort to the opposite set of posts O’Gara faced, the Munster players feared another famous win was about to slip through their fingers. Williams delivered but Munster could have no complaints.

When a last second penalty is awarded to win a tight contest, much attention is focused on the referee. Let’s just say Pascal Gauzere has had better days. That said, on balance, I thought he was quite generous to Munster and could have furnished at least one more yellow card for penalties conceded within striking distance of the Munster line. The Tigers supporters had every right to feel frustrated.