Flamboyant Munster last men standing
Brive won the Heineken Cup in 1997 and lost the ‘98 final by a point but ever since their fortunes have gone downhill. But everything they say about French teams at home is true; Brive produced a comeback in each half to leave Munster breathless on a day when everyone in the Stade Municipal Amédéé Domenecha was struggling for air.
Ultimately, Munster deserved their victory for the manner they carved up the Brive defence with a swashbuckling performance of brilliant counter-attacking rugby. They stormed into an early lead, were pegged back and then moved clear again before relinquishing control after Brive scored a 72nd minute intercept try. It was not what Munster coach Tony McGahan wanted and certainly what his battle-weary physically exhausted charges needed.