O’Connell unfazed by the weight of expectation

LONG after the final whistle, the quaint and friendly town of Gloucester reverberated to the sound of ‘Munster, Munster’, the huge travelling contingent absorbing another epic result in Europe.

Their team had come, they had seen and they had conquered Kingsholm. The supporters were buoyed and uplifted following another clinically efficient performance from a side that, since the time Ronan O’Gara landed a last minute conversion to beat Saracens in Vicarage Road in December 1999, has given them a treasure throve of European memories. The good times roll on for Munster, and who knows – it could all end with ultimate glory in Cardiff on May 24. Central to taking the last few steps towards Cardiff will be Paul O’Connell, who on the evidence of this display has rediscovered the form that inspired Munster to ultimate glory in 2006. His Superman aura may have lost its sheen in the period between beating Leinster in April 2006 and up to kick-off on Saturday, but, when it mattered most in an absorbing contest, the captain rolled back the years to produce a mesmeric individual performance.

The pack leader is back leading the pack again, but afterwards, as he absorbed the feel-good factor that comes with these special Munster victories, one had to wonder if he felt days like this push expectations of the supporters even higher?