Kilcoyne is driven by new challenges

There is a lot to be said for Munster’s developing mental strength.

The province has been winning tricky games on the road this season that they might have crumbled in a year ago which in turn has made a squad rotation policy easier to handle when you are the player on the wrong side of selection calls.

Dave Kilcoyne recognises the way that resilience is growing within the Munster camp, and on a personal level it has helped the loosehead prop deal with competition for places in the province, where James Cronin has nudged him aside for today’s Heineken Cup clash with Perpignan, and the Ireland squad, where he was usurped by Leinster’s Jack McGrath for last month’s Tests.