Coughlan: All Blacks loss was gut-wrenching but we gave it our all

WHEN James Coughlan won a place on the Munster team to play New Zealand at the official opening of Thomond Park a couple of years ago it was arguably the highlight of his career.

The fact that Munster lost that game in the dying moments to a Joe Rokocoko try was neither here nor there; he was hugely proud of Munster’s performance and this evening hopes for a repeat as they face Australia.

“There was a type of sinking feel afterwards, it was gut-wrenching, but we knew we had given it everything and didn’t have any more in the tank.