O’Connell urges Munster to atone for past defeats

PAUL O’CONNELL is on a dual mission to erase the bitter memories of last season’s Heineken Cup quarter final exit to Llanelli Scarlets and the two pool defeats suffered at the hands of Saturday’s opponents in 2003 and 2004.

He has also spoken of his worry that he might not have been in contention for Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter final against Gloucester, and his frustration of having to watch from the stands as Munster negotiated their way through the “Pool of Death”.

After suffering a crippling back injury on his return from the World Cup, the totem second row forward has courageously worked his way into Munster’s Heineken Cup squad, terming the build-up to the winner-takes-all European Cup tie at Kingsholm as the best time to be a Munster player.