Shades of Blacks as Paulie prepares to scale ‘massive mountain’

The mood in the Munster camp this week reminds Paul O’Connell of preparing for a Test against the All Blacks.

Yet as his side steels itself for a Heineken Cup semi-final against defending champions Toulon in Marseille on Sunday, the Ireland captain believes the underdog mentality will suit his province just fine as they attempt to climb what he describes as a “massive mountain”.

Head coach Rob Penney struck a similar tone at Munster’s media day in Cork yesterday, saying Toulon had nothing to fear from his side and O’Connell was equally eager to talk up the quality of the current Top14 leaders’ playing personnel, whose individual honours include World Cup, Super Rugby and Heineken Cup success.