Donal Lenihan: When Munster traded blow for blow at Vicarage Road

Love them or loathe them, Saracens have played a big part in Munster’s celebrated European journey. Next Saturday’s pool outing in Limerick is the 10th meeting of the two sides in European competition. Last weekend marked the 20th anniversary of their first meeting,a famous victory that, for me, launched Munster’s bid to become a real force in the captivating new arena of European rugby.

Right now Munster hold sway in the collective head-to-heads with five wins and four defeats, but the balance of power has shifted noticeably with Saracens winning four of the last five. The two most recent defeats have been at the semi-final stage of the Champions Cup, each by a margin of 16 points.