New focus for Munster’s ‘old man’

WHILE the rest of the country was watching Ireland limp to a dismal Six Nations finish, Rua Tipoki impatiently kicked his heels.

Like the rest of Munster’s foreign legion, he had to find other things to occupy his time as the Magners League ground to a near-halt to accommodate the internationals.

But he had more reason than most to be champing at the bit for game time. A recurrence of an old back injury suffered against Edinburgh six weeks ago meant that until recently, he couldn’t even get out on the squash court, let alone a rugby pitch.