The dramatic day the young fellows rose up

How special it was to witness a Munster side prevail, once again, against a team packed with serial game-breaker, writes Donal Lenihan

No other team in world rugby does drama quite like Munster. Backs to the wall, odds stacked against them in every way. No matter. Once you walk down that Thomond Park tunnel from the home dressing room on big European occasions such as this, mere mortals become transformed.

The cry went out early in the week. Given their well-documented injury issues, Munster needed warriors. In the build-up to his first ever Champions Cup quarter-final, Johann van Graan was happy after overseeing his first session in two months last Monday with his international contingent on board that, whatever side was fit to start on Saturday, performing like dervishes in the face of adversity would not pose a problem. Warriors were in plentiful supply.