2 wins from 2 for Munster. Turned the screw when Saracens replacement prop Rhys Gill picked up a stupid yellow when Saracens were on top at 3-3. Munster clinical after that. Keatley had a decent game overall but off the kicking tee missed a few you'd expect a player at this level to get. They should beat Clermont and Sale at home. Denying Saracens a losing bonus point may prove important but still all to play for in that pool of death.

Ian Keatley drops a goal with the last kick to earn Munster a vital win over Sale. Trailed 23-7 and it should have been more at half time and early in the 2nd half. 3 crucials mistakes from Danny Cipriani handing Munster lifelines after he had shone early in the game. Big problems for Munster particularly at centre but they couldn't afford to lose that one and they found a way.

They'll need all of the Thomond Park factor against Saracens next week though.

Connacht prepared a hero for Munster
Keatley DG 80+1 : Sale 26 Mun 27 (HT 23-7)

Yep, going back to their roots according to Axel.
Can't see players like Zebo hanging around for too long just to leather the ball or chase kicks...

Won't win them European cups either, won't worry teams like Saints, Tigers, Sarries, Bath and most of the top French sides....

Got to be more balance to what they are trying to do, got to use all your armoury....

34-23 at full time. Good confidence booster after a few dodgy results for Munster. Almost caved in with indiscipline towards the end. 4 yellow cards and in all honesty can have little complaint on those decisions. Last one was a good one to give away. Still think they'll struggle in what's a tough European group but plenty of positives to take from that. Peter O'Mahony getting back is hugely significant, Cronin did well, POC continues to defy his age, Keatley had a good game. Really the game was over early enough, Munster were purposeful in attack, got the basics right, went through the phases and made good ground. Leinster in contrast were looking for isolated moments of inspiration.

If I were a Leinster supporter I'd be very worried. They came into it a bit in the 2nd half but they look a mess really. 3 big leaders gone from the team from last season, also Healy and O'Brien both out for extended periods. They'll win the bread and butter matches in the league and Top 4 should be ok for them but in terms of Europe, what initially looked like a decent draw now looks very tricky.

Looking toward the World Cup next year, the lack of quality options in the centre is continuing to be worrying. We were so lucky to have Darcy and BOD for years but when you see the likes of Dennis Hurley and Brendan Macken playing in the centre in such a big game you know we have problems.

Munster look like they are going to kick start their season with a win away to Leinster. 31-16. Munster looking much more purposeful this evening. Leinster in all honesty are a joke at the moment. No intensity, leadership or game plan.

Edit: Leinster have just got a penalty try and a 3rd yellow card in quick succession for Munster. Still 10 minutes but Munster should still see it out.

Didn't see this one but Ospreys making an excellent start to the league.

2 home defeats already for Munster and have had a relatively easy start where you'd have expected them to be on at least 17 at this stage or at a minimum 14. Big one for them next week at the Aviva, neither team playing well as of yet. They should have no problems getting Top 6 but it will be a scrap for them to get Top 4.

2 games won both against Italian teams. 2 home games lost. Things not going too well down south.

Do people thing it is a blip? Or something deeper?

Which situationist prankster had the idea to put a banner reading "Unreal Passion" on the South Terrace this evening, given that it's generally closed for Pro12 games due to lack of interest?

Munster on the ropes, losing 14 19
71 mins gone. If things stay the same, we finish the weekend in 4 th spot, whatever happens between dragons and treviso doesn't matter

POC has withdrawn from the game due to 'Personal Reasons'. Totally unsourced comment on the IT saying it's Foley that's pulling him : "2nd row issue with Foley cracking a whip.". If that's the reason, which is totally unconfirmed, a bad bad start for Foley.

Amateur hour and it looks like Foley could become the David Moyes of Munster Rugby. Between the Cork Con cohort, with Walsh and Micko Driscoll on the coaching staff and Duncan Williams (Duncan Williams???) anywhere near a Munster shirt; and the Killaloe Mafia of Foley and Woody who never lost any opportunities to undermine Penney, it could all come home to roost spectacularly quickly.

Which of course would be a huge shame.

You spell your name Johne then I'm calling you Joan!

From what I've seen so far Hurley comes out of it quite well actually although I haven't seen everything. I think the colour coding thing is pretty damning for the likes of Johnny Holland, who have is the third fly half on the books but listed as fourth choice in that position. It looks to me as if anyone in purple is untrusted and/or not seen as a real option, even though quite a few (most?) of them have been capped.

I don't see what's so crazy about those colour codes. Green are fully capped Irish internationals, red are senior Munster capped, then you've got projects, academy and NIQ.

From what I read Joan Murphy had the biggest slating.

Shelflife wrote: Hard to push on when you are not confident of your place. Always looking over his shoulder.

Out half needs to be confident, hard to be confident in that environment.

I know he probably felt he had to jump when the offer came, but I'd loved to have seen how Keats would have evolved if he'd stayed a couple more seasons and had the few years of HEC at 10 with us. He's a running 10 but who looks like he's trying to be RO'G...