No miracles, no magic pills to accelerate Munster rebuild

Saturday’s bonus-point victory on Leeside was far from ideal fare.

MUNSTER MARCH: Shane Daly with family after the Investec Champions Cup match between Munster and Gloucester at SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

THIS was no miracle match but Munster and Gloucester’s reprised rivalry in a new setting at SuperValu Pairc ui Chaoimh was an apt reminder of past glories and the quest to return to previous heights.

From the side sent over from England by George Skivington to Cork, showing 15 changes from their Champions Cup Pool 2 home win over Castres seven days earlier, it is clear their director of rugby sees his club’s domestic competition, the PREM as the route back to the top table and in his post-match comments he described the scenario of fighting on two competitive fronts this season as “unrealistic”.