O'Donoghue: Turning the corner, coaches' selection headaches and getting told off by his mum

O’Donoghue more than played his part against Northampton in the English East Midlands although he incurred the displeasure of his mother for getting sin-binned alongside Saints captain Lewis Ludlam following an altercation.

ON THE UP: Jack O'Donoghue during a Munster rugby squad training session at Thomond Park. Pic:David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Jack O’Donoghue always knew he and his Munster team-mates would get there in the end, even when those outside the camp doubted they had it in them after a ponderous start to life under Graham Rowntree.

Looking back now with the advantage of hindsight, as Munster have turned their season around following those troublesome early-season setbacks, O’Donoghue shares the frustrations expressed when victories were so hard to come by.