Munster’s revival starts here, says Anthony Foley

Anthony Foley believes Saturday’s Champions Cup home opener against Treviso marks the first step to atoning for Munster’s failure to get out of their pool last season.

The two-time champions crashed out in January after losing home and away to Clermont Auvergne the previous month and then falling to Saracens in north London in the final game, only the second time in 17 seasons they had failed to reach the knockout stages of European club rugby’s flagship tournament.

Now Munster head coach Foley wants his players to learn the lessons of that campaign, and use the hurt and disappointment to ensure the same mistakes are not made, as they face into a tough group also featuring French champions Stade Francais and old rivals Leicester Tigers.