Can Munster do it without a gasman?

“Welcome to Twickenham, an extension of The Stoop today,” boomed the excited PA announcer, as the countdown began to Saturday’s crucial final-round pool game. He was wrong.

With the red-clad visiting fans outnumbering the home support about two to one, Twickenham was an extension of Thomond Park. And with such colossal and unprecedented on-the-road support, the stage was set for Munster to do something special.

Didn’t happen. Munster did win, did top the group, did qualify for yet another quarter-final; they did not impress. Gas - that was the little big word on everyone’s lips afterwards. Munster have so much going for them, in every facet of the modern pro rugby game, but they don’t have gas, real gas, the kind demonstrated so graphically by Ugo Monye’s 85 metre intercept try, when all of Munster was left trailing forlornly in his wake.