Welcome to Brive, truly rugby country

THEY’VE been to paradise, but they’ve never been to Brive.

Munster fans have seen and done it all in Europe; Cardiff in particular holds mostly good memories after two Heineken Cup wins (and one loss) while in French terms, Bordeaux, Castres, Perpignan and Lille have all played host to some seminal moments in the past decade or so.

But that well-publicised failure to make the Heineken Cup’s knockout stages for the first time in 13 seasons has both team and supporters taking the road less travelled, with a visit to Brive-la-Gaillard in central France.