Thomond braced for perfect storm

Batten down the hatches, there’s a tempest coming.

As Mother Nature does her worst to Ireland through her wild child Storm Brian, Munster are also about to get hit at Thomond Park this evening, in the form of Leone Nakawara and his Racing 92 cohorts.

The relentless pressure that Champions Cup rugby brings each season can be as devastating as a hurricane to some teams and they do not even have to be in a fragile state to feel its force. Such is the level of competition in European rugby’s premier club competition that just one loose fixture can bring the whole structure down.