Champions Cup key questions: How far behind the best in Europe are Munster?

Johann van Graan points to narrow margins but Munster are more often than not the team on the wrong side of them

Gavin Coombes of Munster, right, dejected after his side's defeat to Toulouse. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

That's that then, back-to-back defeats in high-stakes knockout games, so was this Toulouse defeat more fuel for the fire of Munster bashers?

Not at all. Last weekend’s Guinness PRO14 final loss to Leinster was a bitter pill to swallow, a poor Munster performance ruthlessly exposed by a seasoned team of serial champions made worse by the claims of senior coach Stephen Larkham that his side had played well and were evenly matched with the boys in blue.