Munster’s unlikely lads get the job done; Anti-vax brigade subsumes Lindelof scare

You would have got long odds of a provincial clean sweep earlier this week ahead of the first weekend of European action. Munster were missing countless front line players, Ulster faced up to a daunting trek to the citadel that is Clermont's Stade Marcel Michelin while Connacht welcomed further French power in Stade Francais. Only Leinster really were comfortable favourites at home to Premiership minnows Bath. Yet here we are on Monday morning looking back on a perfect weekend results-wise for Irish rugby. Yes, Leinster have plenty of room for improvement after what was at times a sloppy display despite the win, but Ulster and Connacht secured monumental wins while all the superlatives have already been used to describe the contributions of Munster's youngsters during a bonus point win away to Wasps, who had Covid issues of their own. Gerry Thornley wraps up the weekend's action, looking at how the Munster result is a major feather in the cap for the provincial academy system as future stars like Daniel Okeke and Scott Buckley shone.

There were worrying scenes in Carrow Road as Manchester United's Victor Lindelof encountered breathing difficulties on the pitch. Thankfully, he was ok and did not require serious medical treatment, but Ken Early is frustrated that incidents such as these see high-profile footballers having their respiratory and cardiac health misappropriated by the anti-vax brigade. "Christian Eriksen and Sergio Agüero are two of the biggest stars of the last decade in the Premier League. But the claims about the role of the vaccine in such collapses proceed without any regard to the facts. The doctor at Eriksen's club, Inter, announced that the player had not been vaccinated." United's problems may be getting worse in the short term as a Covid outbreak has put tomorrow's game against Brentford in doubt.

Home advantage had its desired effect at the European cross-country championships held at Abbotstown yesterday. Ireland secured three medals in total, including a team gold at the under-23 level. Ian O'Riordan reports on a day that still contained a tinge of regret amid a number of fourth-placed finishes that prevented the medal haul from growing even further. Still, one of the many good news stories from the event was that of Fionnula McCormack who showed her remarkable powers of recovery to secure a ninth place finish just one week after running a lifetime best at the Valencia marathon.

Loughmore-Castleiney's remarkable dual-code season has been ended at the Munster semi-final stage as Ballygunner of Waterford secured a five point win to progress to the final. Elsewhere in provincial action, All-Ireland hurling champions Ballyhale Shamrocks overcame an extra-time scare to reach the Leinster final at the expense of St Rynagh's while Kilmallock made a big statement in dispatching Midleton to book their Munster final date against Ballygunner.