Brendan O'Brien: Mighty Munster deliver the statement that Irish rugby badly needed

the Jack Crowley-Sam Prendergast question is critical to the national team’s fortunes and the Munster ten was extraordinary at times

OFF TO THE RACES: Munster's Ethan Coughlan on his way to scoring a seismic try. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Sixteen years. It’s been 16 years since Brian O’Driscoll intercepted Ronan O’Gara’s pass at GAA headquarters and confirmed in one canter the ending of one era and the dawn of another. Blue was the new red, and has been ever since.

So complete has the turnaround been that Leinster won 30 of the next 39 meetings between the provinces, 14 of the previous 16, with those two losses coming in a PRO14 semi-final when they took their eye of the ball, and a Rainbow Cup Covid filler.