Lamb stuns sheepish Leinster

IT was what Leinster feared all week long, being the hunted rather than the hunter. So a stirring triumph over old rivals Munster in the dress rehearsal for this opening game in their defence of the Heineken Cup meant absolutely nothing; the champions fell victim to a sucker punch in the dying stages of a vigorously contested but disappointing match at the RDS last night.

The London Irish hero was substitute out-half Ryan Lamb, who kicked a 76th minute penalty to heap agony on the home side, whose performance fell way short of what they aspired to and of what was necessary.

It will be a long week as they prepare for the away fixture to Brive. There will be a lot of soul-searching and anguish after coughing up the opportunity of benefiting from launching a new campaign on home soil.