Munster Mash

Well what a weekend trip.  Immense fun and a good example of why rugby union is such a good game.

Northampton Saints managed to get through to the Heineken Cup quarter finals a month or so ago.  We were the only english team to get through but we were at the bottom of the 8, so we were drawn against Munster at Thomond Park (their home ground).  Tickets were scarce but one night, with a rush of blood (or whisky) to the head, I entered the ballot.  And we got three tickets.  I then realised just how much the trip was going to cost, what with flights, hotel, car hire etc.  But in for a penny etc etc.

Last weekend was the trip, and we got back today.  And it was so much fun, despite losing.

First off we were flying from Cardiff to Cork.  We went from Cardiff because I had some work over there.  We arrived at Cardiff airport on Friday morning and checked in.  Then we went up to the departure gates.  Only to realise that we were surrounded by Ospreys players who were off to Biarritz.  I am not a great Ospreys fan, mainly because of their supporters, by they do have some players that I greatly admire.  So to find myself sitting having a cup of coffee while the table next to me had James Hook and Mike Phillips also having a drink, to watch Adam Jones shopping in duty free, to stand next to Ian Gough, was like a dream.  There were all the others as well, names you would know well, but these were the names that I was in awe of.

A good start then.  Arrived in Cork, hired the car and started the drive to Charleville where we were staying.  Only to find that we were driving past Blarney Castle.  So we had to stop there didn't we.  And yes I kissed the Blarney Stone (and no, I really don't care if locals have pee'd on it).

The next morning we got up and took a taxi to Limerick.  And was duly stunned at the number of Munster flags everywhere.  This is a city that lives and breathes rugby.  And the Munster fans were already wandering around in their Munster tops, and we were wandering around in our Saints tops, and everything was so friendly - and this is where rugby scores so highly above football, we could mix and mingle freely and happy to see each other.  We went to Clohessys bar where all the Saints were meeting, and picked up our flags.  We wandered around the city for a while before making our way to Thomond Park.  Of course we fitted in a Guiness or two as well.

The match itself was something else.  Thomond Park holds twice as many spectators as Franklins Gardens,  The noise was incredible.  You cannot begin to believe it until you sit there with Munster fans shouting from all around you.  The noise fills your body.  In fact it scared the life out of my daughter, so much so that we told her we could go, but she didn't want to.  And though we lost in the end, at half-time the Saints were ahead, and for a moment, a brief moment, the Munster hordes were silenced and 6000 Saints could be heard singing.  A glorious moment.  We left defeated but still proud to be Saints, and swapped flags with Munster supporters on the way out.

The next day we made a trip to Tipperary (which is, of course, a ong way to go).  Then headed back to Cork ariport.  As we were standing to board the plane I noticed the guys ahead of us had WRU clothes and bags.  I pointed them out to "J" and said I thought I recognised them.  Turned out they were the ref and other officials from the match!  So "A" had to speak to them when we landed and waiting to collect our bags.  She even got Nigel Owens autograph, and he gave here a WSRUR pin batch, which she can wear on her hat with all her other badges.

Yes we lost.  Yes it cost a lot of money.  But the experience was priceless!