Young guns come of age as Reds eye more giant-killing

PAUL O’Connell may have produced the definitive performance in Munster’s stunning Heineken Cup victory over Harlequins but it was Tommy O’Donnell who gave the rousing pre-match speech and inspired the emotional energy that took his side to the semi-finals.

The 18-12 win at The Stoop was built on O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara’s refusal to accept defeat, but it also demonstrated that the young guard are perhaps not as far away from succeeding them as might have been thought.

Indeed in flankers O’Donnell and Peter O’Mahony, Munster had two men who seemed to come of age.