Fourteen points shipped to 14 men is hard to take - Donal Lenihan 

With a demanding trip to Belfast to come on New Year’s Day, and the probability that Rowntree will have to rest a number of his frontline troops, Munster’s task in climbing back up the table into the qualifying slots for next season’s Heineken Champions Cup has just become a bit more onerous.

TOUGH BLOW: Leinster’s Joe McCarthy and Scott Penny celebrate Dan Sheehan scoring their second try. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

When the respective teams were announced for the traditional St. Stephens derby last Friday, my first impression was, Munster have to win this one.

The decision by Leinster to send just two or, depending where Ryan Baird sits in the pecking order right now, three of their first-choice pack to Thomond Park felt like a direct challenge to Munster’s manhood, especially with Graham Rowntree going into battle with his best available charges up front from the off.