Barnes: Crazy to write off under-fire Munster

TOP rugby analyst Stuart Barnes has warned of the folly of writing off Munster’s chances of success in the Heineken Cup, despite the province’s 30-0 defeat by Leinster on Saturday.

Former England international and Lion, Barnes acknowledged that Munster’s opening game in the tournament, away to Northampton, will be difficult but he added that Munster’s battling reputation means it would be “mad” to write them off.

“They’ve earned that reputation, haven’t they?” said Barnes. “There will be people in Europe who’ll look at last weekend’s scoreline and say ‘that’s the end of Munster’.