Rampant Ronan fuels Reds resurrection

THIS was a whole lot better than Munster had managed a week previously in Glasgow, but they were still far from impressive in defeating Cardiff Blues in front of a half-full Thomond Park last evening.

It was a poor quality game for the most part, but at least the champions opened their Magners League account with what in the end was a relatively clear-cut scoreline in their favour.

If nothing else, the encounter proved that the shortcomings at the set-piece so evident in their first competitive outing amounted to little more than a glitch. John Hayes was only on the pitch for the first half but he helped to steady the scrum in very apparent fashion, while he also assisted Mick O’Driscoll, especially, to claim five Blues throws in the opening 40 minutes.