The wonderful achievement by Munster in winning two Heineken Cup’s in three years was built on standing up to adversity. The failures from a few years back that the men in red learned so much from, formed the base of determination that gradually became a core source of immense motivation. In all elements of Irish sport this core is one of resolute tenacity.

Success goes to the head and consequently disfigures the seed that facilitated the success. This may in some part be due to their inherent bullishness but also probably because of the greater resources available to many of the bigger countries.

Kidney impressive

Ireland, certainly in the past anyway, had little financial resources and consequently the improvements were based on more natural methods of progression, or, to be more precise, the one most natural method of progression, the understanding that sport is about the performers.

This is where Declan Kidney impressively retained his grasp on reality. While I accept totally that Munster have invested heavily in a financial sense in their team, the most salient point was that investment, financial and otherwise, was focused on facilitating the performers.

The environment that Declan created was one that induced in players and staff an individual determination and a collective belief in who they were and where they wanted to go. This is not only the very essence of good management it also reflects truthfully the very nature of what team sport is and should always be.