Fitting finales for Gaffney, Gatland

WITHIN hours of each other on Saturday, two coaches who have contributed much to the development of the game in this country, bid farewell to their respective squads.

After five years at the coalface in both Leinster and Munster, Alan Gaffney signed off in triumph as Munster secured the Celtic Cup in impressive fashion at Lansdowne Road.

After the disappointment of finishing second in the Celtic League and having toiled over nine months and 23 games against our Celtic cousins, Munster deserved this trophy. To finish the season lifting silverware was only fitting for the contribution captain Anthony Foley has made to Munster's cause this season. The fact that he insisted on sharing the moment with his outgoing coach was a reflection of where Gaffney sits in the hearts of the players. Tomorrow he heads for Australia, where the national squad await at their palatial Coffs Harbour training headquarters. While the Celtic Cup may seem trivial given that his next challenge is the Tri-Nations series, deep down he will have derived huge satisfaction from signing off on a positive note.