Munster ‘Play for each other, families, and the red jersey’

One called him a legend, the other a colossus and both CJ Stander and Anthony Foley admitted how much Munster will miss Paul O’Connell when he plays his last game for the province in Saturday’s Guinness Pro12 final.

The veteran lock played his final home game for Munster at Thomond Park in the 21-18 semi-final win over Ospreys on Saturday that sets up a final game in red for the 35-year-old Ireland captain in Belfast on Saturday against Glasgow Warriors.

O’Connell, who is yet to officially announce his intentions beyond this autumn’s World Cup, took a personal lap of honour around Thomond Park as he said goodbye to the Munster supporters who shared in the iconic forward’s greatest triumphs over 14 seasons in Limerick and former team-mate turned head coach Foley said the second row’s influence on the province was a massive one.