European Round-Up

It was a case of glass half empty and glass half full for Irish rugby after the second installment of European fixtures. While Leinster and Munster maintained their 100% winning form, Connacht were disappointingly trounced by Exeter and Ulster found the European champions of Toulon a little too hot to handle.

Consequently, Ulster remain winless in their apparent group of death, and they will now need to win their four remaining matches if they are to qualify for the last eight, a task that seems nigh impossible, given that the northerners must still visit Toulon.

Meanwhile Connacht will be disappointed at conceding five tries against Exeter. This mauling will be a wake-up call for a team that has made good progress this autumn. Ultimately, the sign of a good team is one that learns from its mistakes.

Elsewhere it looks increasingly likely that it will be left to Leinster and Munster to fly the flag for Irish rugby in this season's European adventure. Admittedly tries were extremely thin on the ground, with Leinster having to rely on seven penalties from the deadly kicking boot of Ian Madigan. Is there room for both Madigan and Sexton in the national team? I reckon that there is. Madigan's team may not have pulled off a spectacular success, but an away win in France is worthy of credit.

Finally, the last word ought to go to Munster's substitute prop forward Dave Kilcoyne who propped up in the right place at the right time for a crucial try. Kilcoyne's second-half score helped Munster put the challenge of Saracens to bed. If the southerners can win the return fixture, then they will be well-placed to venture into the quarter finals once again.

The results were as follows:

European Rugby Champions Cup

Castres 16 LEINSTER 21

Leinster earn four points.

MUNSTER 14 Saracens 3

Munster try-scorer: Kilcoyne

Munster earn four points.

ULSTER 13 Toulon 23

Ulster try-scorer: Gilroy

European Rugby Challenge Cup

Exeter 33 CONNACHT 13

Connacht try-scorer: Carr