O’Gara is the five-star general

WINNING was one thing, gaining the vital bonus point another altogether.

All concerned agreed that the pressure got to the Munster players at Thomond Park on Saturday and transmitted to the capacity crowd who seemed to be gripped by a similar anxiety until the fateful penalty try with 74 minutes played eventually relieved the tension.

Throughout, the class of Ronan O’Gara shone like a beacon as he produced a man of the match performance without which it is extremely doubtful whether Munster could have emerged with the five pointer.