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Donal Lenihan: Munster face Rog but steller Leinster look different class

Nobody likes being beaten but the manner in which Munster stayed in the fight against a creative Northampton attack showed, once again, that what they lack in star quality is made up for by sheer grit, work-rate and determination.

Mon, 20 Jan, 2025 - 06:23

Donal Lenihan

A rugby player, coach and manager during a glittering career with Munster, Ireland and the Lions and now a definitive voice in Irish rugby analysis and commentary.

The good news from an Irish perspective is that all three provinces who started out in this seasons Champions Cup will still be on board then the tournament enters the knockout phase in April.

Such is the convoluted nature of the qualification process, a number of teams will be feeling less than satisfied with the outcome of their efforts over the four pool games. Ulster, who slipped in the back door on points differential despite accumulating only five points and a single victory, won’t be one of them. Their reward, an away trip to the top seed Bordeaux-Begles, may yet prove a poisoned chalice.

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