Kidney offers words of caution

A quiet sense of satisfaction permeated through the Munster camp in the wake of Saturday's victory. Yet amidst all of that Declan Kidney, as ever, struck a jarring note of caution when turning his attention back to the latest hiatus in their season, albeit with Magners Celtic League games away to Llanelli next Sunday and at home to the Ospreys three weeks' subsequently.

"We want to enjoy Europe as much as we can while we're in it, because at the moment we're not in it next year," he pointed out, the chuckles suggesting he was being a little facetious but, of course, he was being anything but.

"Well, that's the job. And in this competition Leinster managed to put even more points on Bourgoin but when you try and play them a second time it's a completely different game," he added, reflecting on Leinster's defeat in Bourgoin last season."

Even so, thus far it's been a job well done by the holders.

"At the start of October we would have been happy to be alive in the competition, and I think we've done a small bit better than that," said the Munster coach, highlighting the fringe defence, the back three's security under the high kicks and their clinicism in taking chances, having rectified a tendency to be a little bit lateral heretofore.

Singling out John Kelly and Shaun Payne, of the former he said: "He wouldn't always get the notice he deserves, but he does that for us on a regular basis."

One of the most heartwarming sights of the night was assuredly the return of Barry Murphy to the form he was showing last season until cruelly interrupted. "That was an awful injury he got at the time and it was always going to take him a little bit of time to get back in."

If Saturday marked the return of an innate, indigenous talent, as exciting was a teasing glimpse of what Lifiemi Mafi, aka Larry Murphy could bring to the Munster mix. "Yeah, Lifiemi did very well alright," said Kidney, refusing to bite to the irreverent monicker.

"Hopefully now we can have a nice competition for places in the centre. Lifiemi can play 12 or 13 with equal ability."

Paul O'Connell echoed much of his coach's comments, especially in praising the back three. "That permeated throughout the whole team and I thought it was a controlled, measured performance," he said, also revealing that Munster simplified their lineout by concentrating on the height of their lifting and the speed of their throw.

O'Connell said the poor early-season form had given Munster a reminder to "get back to our honest, hard-working game".

Admitting Munster were in prime position in Pool Four, O'Connell looked ahead to the pivotal back-to-back meetings with Cardiff and forewarned: "A team we've struggled to beat away from home in the Celtic League, a team that we've never beaten in the European Cup and a team who are coming very strong with some great players. It's going to be a massive two weeks for us."

Seeing Thomond Park from the away dressingroom gave Mike Prendergast a whole different perspective on what he admitted was an "emotional" day playing in his home town against his good buddies: "As the boys were saying Munster are a very well-organised team. Munster are very aggressive at the breakdown and very well organised. You don't realise how well organised they are until you play them boys."

And on all-round feel-good night, the warmth of the reception afforded to the prodigal Prendergast was another abiding memory. "It was very emotional to get a big cheer in my home town, where I played most of my rugby. Again the Munster crowd just showed how good they are."