Perpignan take the wind out of Munster’s sails

MUNSTER’S dream of reaching the quarter-finals of the Heineken European Cup for the fifth year in succession lies in tatters after a bitterly disappointing performance and comprehensive defeat by Perpignan in the Stade Aime Giral on Saturday.

A fired up French side delighted their partisan supporters with the manner in which they overcame a shaky first half to dominate the second period during which they kept their visitors scoreless in spite of playing into the teeth of a bitingly cold and very strong wind.

Whereas Perpignan sang and danced in celebration of their near certain qualification for the quarter-finals, the Munster players and fans were silent and mournful... no sign of the Fields of Athenry from a sizeable but silenced band of red-bedecked men and women in the terraces and stands, no ecstatic rendering of Stand Up and Fight from the dressing room.