Added Time: Irish teams brought back to earth with a thump

The Heino giveth, the Heino taketh. After an opening round of games in the Champions Cup in which the Irish teams made merry, the second weekend brought everyone back to earth with a thump (or a non-wraparound tackle to the jaw, whichever you prefer). Leinster lost, Ulster got minced, even Munster’s bonus-point win against Gloucester came at a cost.

Gerry Thornley is on the line from southern France and Gavin Cummiskey is in studio to break down a weekend of sloppiness, breakaway tries out of nothing and overweening refereeing.

The Irish Times’s own Eamon Donoghue spent his Friday night chasing shadows live on TG4 as The Underdogs were comprehensively beaten by Dublin’s third string. After licking his wounds for the weekend, he has fronted up to tell us all about it.