Leo Cullen expects to face ‘galvanised’ Munster

It was only to be expected that so much of the conversation at yesterday’s Champions Cup launch orbited around Rassie Erasmus and the identity of his eventual successor, but it was Anthony Foley who was central to Leo Cullen’s thoughts.

It will be one day short of a year since their last Aviva Stadium get-together when the rivals face off at the Ballsbridge venue on Saturday. Foley was part of the Munster brains trust that day. A week later and he had passed away in Paris.

Thus, Cullen isn’t expecting to encounter a Munster side riddled with insecurities over the future of their coaching ticket when they pitch up in Dublin so much as a group ‘galvanised’ by the memory of their former leader, given the week that is in it.