Bourgoin scare brings rich rewards

IT was hard fought and frantic, and occasionally hair-raising, but seeing off Bourgoin brought rewards both immediate and long-lasting for Munster.

In Frankie Sheahan’s 50th tournament appearance, the reigning champions ensured a knock-out berth for the ninth successive season. Not even Toulouse, the so-called elite of European rugby, can claim that.

Munster’s worst case scenario — a loss to Leicester on Saturday — is finishing seventh or eighth in the quarter-final seedings. But a victory of any sort will ensure there is no early reunion with No 1 ranked Biarritz, who are blazing an unprecedented trail with 25 points from five games.