John Muldoon rues losing out on glamour Thomond Park visit

Missing out on a first European Cup quarter-final was punishment enough for John Muldoon, but the knowledge that Connacht had forfeited the opportunity to front up to Munster at Thomond Park in the next round only added to the hurt.

Had they managed just one more penalty or a drop goal and prevented another Toulouse score at Stade Ernest Wallon two days ago, then it would have been Pat Lam’s side and not the four-time European champions progressing through to the knockout stages and that date in Limerick.

It would have made for a uniquely Irish fixture had it happened and, yet, the arrival of the French aristocrats to Thomond Park post-Six Nations is a jewel of an occasion in its own right and one the Connacht captain clearly finds difficult to call.