Munster finally take positive memories from Paris

The tourist brochures present Paris as the city of lights and the city of love but one can appreciate why it won’t feature any time soon on bucket lists for the current Munster squad. From both a personal and sporting standpoint, the French capital has yielded nothing but grief for that particular group over the last 12 months.

As a club Racing 92 — so called because 92 is the number of the Hauts-de-Seine district where the club is based — will forever be linked with the sad passing of Munster head coach Anthony Foley and the impact that tragic event had on the Munster rugby community.

Ten miles across the city, situated in the 16th arrondissment, stands the Stade Jean Bouin, home of Stade Francais, where Munster’s standing in the Champions Cup took a potentially fatal blow after a demoralising 27-7 defeat this time last season.