Hayes creates European history

MUNSTER’S favourite prop stepped into the history books in the only way he knew how — quietly.

John Hayes, amid the white heat of the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final in Brive on Saturday, created European rugby history when he became the first player to play 100 competitive games.

The Dromsally, Cappamore native came on as a 58th-minute replacement and also became just the fourth Munster player to win 200 caps for a province he first represented in August 1997.

The 38-year-old has won 99 Heineken Cup caps since making his debut in September 1998 in the Musgrave Park encounter with Italian side Petrarca, alongside current team-mates Ronan O’Gara and Alan Quinlan.

O’Gara, also making his debut that day — he kicked a penalty and two conversions in Munster’s 20-13 win — played in his 98th European tie in Brive on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Munster management report a clean bill of health, bumps and myriad bruises aside, following the win in France.

Matt Williams hailed the players for the positive rugby they produced en-route to their triumph over Brive and believes it could have laid down a marker.

Although Munster supporters willed the team to batten down the hatches after going into an unassailable lead, the former Leinster, Ulster and Scotland coach doesn’t blame the players for losing the initiative and having to hang on for a 42-37 win.

“One might have been tempted to play percentage rugby at that stage, but it wasn’t the style of the game and you need to back and trust the players.

“That performance reinforced what we have always known about Munster, that they play with pride and passion; that’s never going to go away, but this performance proved they have moved on and that was a fantastic game to watch.

“It was one of those games that would surely inspire young kids to want to go out and kick a rugby ball and, I reckon, that’s really what you want to create.”