Downey hopes to hit the heights this time around

Having spent precious little time at Munster in his first spell with the province six years ago, signing for them this summer barely represents a spiritual homecoming for James Downey.

Instead, after an extremely successful spell in England with Munster’s perennial rivals Northampton Saints, the Dubliner is keen to make the most of his second chance.

When Downey first arrived in the summer of 2006, the inside centre who learned the ropes at Leinster, had just been released by Connacht after two injury-troubled seasons and was looking to earn a contract with Declan Kidney’s newly-crowned European champions.