Where next for Munster?

The emotions will inevitably be raw when Munster return to work this morning, thoughts of defeat by Toulon still painfully fresh in the minds of players who will feel there should still be a league and Heineken Cup double on their horizons.

Instead, the focus must filter out the could haves and what ifs and narrow in on the RaboDirect Pro12 run-in, which starts with a penultimate regular season game on Saturday afternoon in the unfamiliar surrounds of Edinburgh’s temporary home at Meggetsfield.

Munster have two more games to secure at least second place in the Pro12 and guarantee them a home semi-final draw in the play-offs and knowing their fate is in their own hands will at least be some comfort following the heartache of another European semi-final on foreign soil.