This is still a great team, insists De Villiers

JEAN DE VILLIERS knew he would face one or two major hurdles once he joined Munster.

On the field, the chief ambition was to score a try at Thomond Park as quickly as possible. Off the field the challenge was to down a pint of Guinness and prove to his new colleagues he could enjoy the black stuff as much as any Irishman.

After Saturday’s Heineken Cup defeat of Benetton Treviso at Thomond Park, he was pleased to report that those twin objectives had been achieved. The broad smile he wore as he touched down Munster’s seventh and final try told its own story.