Pitch perfect view at Thomond

IF the view of the pitch is as good as it is now when the place is only half built, you can only imagine what Thomond Park will be like in 12 months time when the 26,000 capacity, 15,000 seater stadium is fully opened to the rugby public.

It was hard-hat time yesterday as the chairman of the development company, Pat Whelan, showed me around and demonstrated why everything appears to be in absolutely perfect working order for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup clash of Munster and Clermont Auvergne. It mightn’t look a whole lot more than a building site from the outside and perhaps not much better having entered the ground but I am satisfied that most people will be extremely happy with what they encounter once they see the actual playing area.

True, it will be tough on the 13,000 fans should the weather break and the rain falls but wasn’t that always the case. Given the understandable misgivings of many people over the past few months as they wondered how a big game could possibly be played here, the inescapable fact is that magnificent work has been done so that the fire chief and health authorities could be satisfied.