Tame Munster fail to fire

THIS was by far Munster’s worst performance in the Heineken Cup for five years. They lost 60-19 to Toulouse in 1997 but that was then. This is now and Munster, after four glorious seasons, are supposed to be the toughest nut of all to crack. We saw little evidence of that at Kingsholm on Saturday.

Indeed, they were so poor in going down 34-16 to an admittedly outstanding Gloucester side, that you have to be seriously concerned for their immediate future.

Next Saturday's clash with Perpignan at Thomond Park could hardly be of greater importance. Another defeat would almost certainly render their season meaningless before it really got off the ground at all. Talk of bubbles bursting permeates the air.