ANOTHER conquest of note has been added to the list of Munster's accomplishments at Thomond Park. Yet again as so often in the past, Munster rose to the challenge to record a famous victory on Saturday.

This time the victims were Wasps, the English First Division side with a cosmopolitan array of internationals who perished before the awesome challenge - and two invaluable points were gained in the Heineken European Cup as Munster won by 49 points to 22.

The best in the game have all come, the All Blacks, the Springboks, the Wallabies, and all have been vanquished in celebrated victories achieved by Munster in a now vanished age in the game. This is the era of the professionals of multi-national teams sprinkled even by the levening of Rugby League players. Munster put 12 home-based players into the entanglement against a team drawn from five nations, and gave a heart stopping display that enthralled the spectators for 80 minutes.

Economics, electronics and new found affluence are changing the game, but last Saturday we left Thomond Park uplifted that there are still values and great traditions that remain intact. It was a performance from Munster to insulate us old "conservatives" from the turmoil that is changing so much of what we cherish.

Many elements made this victory and the performance special, none more significant than the background against which the match was played.

This was Munster's third game in eight days in the competition and it came after a 48-18 loss to Cardiff last Wednesday, the same Cardiff side that had scraped home against Wasps a week ago via a last-minute dropped goal. Thus if the portents were not good It was a situation tailor-made for Munster, outsiders before their own faithful at Thomond Park, with survival in the competition at stake.

From the outset it was evident that this Munster team carried no post-match fatigue from Cardiff or no inferiority complex about the opposition. There was a job to be done, a jersey to be honoured. Munster started in the fast lane and never dropped the impetus. The pack carried the game to Wasps and forced them into error and indecision.

Nine minutes gone, Munster led 6-0, two penalty goals from outside half Killian Keane. Then in the 18th minute the arena erupted. Keane hoisted a high ball deep into Wasps territory it was not gathered and the Munster pack was up. They drove forward with Anthony Foley in the van and they drove over the line with Foley getting the try. Keane was wide with the conversion, but it was 11-0 for Munster.

But this was no kick and rush. there was method purpose and conviction in what Munster did. Anxiety was rooted in Wasps' play. They were being destroyed in the line-out, where Gabriel Fulcher made some superb catches, Galwey was at his best and they destroyed Damien Cronin and Matt Greenwood. Munster mauled, rucked and drove, were onto every loose ball like terriers and Wasps just had no answer.

Gone now the scrummaging weakness Cardiff exploited, the scrum was rock solid. When Wasps did get possession, their outside-half Gareth Rees epitomised the indecision and nervous anxiety that ran through his side. Their recruit from Rugby League centre Vaaiga Tuigamala was getting no chance to show his strength and pace.

Then in the 29th minute Munster struck again. Dominic Crotty, who again underlined his ability, picked up the ball near the left touchline as Wasps failed to clear yet again and his inside pass found Galwey, who charged for the line and made his objective for a 16-0 lead.

Just on half time Wasps at last got a footing inside the Munster 25 and kept the ball alive in a series of rucks and Chris Sheasby forced his way over in the left corner. The conversion was missed but it was Munster 16-5 up at the interval. Victory beckoned but there was work to be done.

Munster began the second hall, with all the purpose and urgency they had shown in the initial period and within seven minutes Wasps' cause was irretrievable. Keane, who had been a bit loose with his tactical kicking initially but had settled to play a very worthy role, got a try after four minutes when he placed a delicate chip to the line and then beat Wasps scrum-half Andy Gomersall to ground the ball by the posts and then converted.

Three minutes later Ben Cronin - I have not seen him play better - intercepted a ball 30 yards out after Wasps had won a line-out and he was clear for try number four. Keane kicked a great conversion and it was 30-5.

"I knew we had them at that point. We knew what we had to do and set out to do it," said Galwey. "There was going to be no way back for them. We did not do ourselves justice in Cardiff and we were determined to put that behind us."

Munster manager Colm Tucker, a man who played in the famous win over the All Blacks, likened Munster's display to that unforgettable afternoon. "It was back to 1978. This has to go down as one of the truly great Munster performances, especially bearing in mind the circumstances." he said.

Will Green did get a try back for Wasps in the 50th minute after a good movement in which flanker Michael White played a role, but Munster's response was emphatic. Wasps attacked near the Munster left-hand corner. They won possession, but a pass by Lawrence Dallaglio, their cap"lain and heir apparent to Will Carling as England's next leader, was intercepted by Richard Wallace. He went into full flight and ran almost the length of the field to score a try near the posts and Keane converted.

Tuiagamala was dangerous and difficult to stop, but the saving tackle always went in. Munster pinned Wasps down near their line and forced the concession of a penalty at a scrum as Wasps retreated. Munster opted for the scrum again, and there followed a free kick to Munster. Down they went once more and another penalty. Then as the Wasps pack went into reverse yet again, referee Didier Mene awarded Munster a penalty try. Keane converted to make it 44-10.

Jon Ufton got Wasps' third try after a good break by Shane Roiser and Ufton converted. That was in the 75th minute. Four minutes later Munster notched their seventh try when Brian Walsh gave Crotty the scoring pass.

Munster did not let up and a great movement should have yielded another try but Crotty could not hold the pass on the line. Wasps countered attacked and Roiser got his side's fourth try in the second minute of injury time. Munster had won by a margin of 27 points and Wasps had conceded the highest score in their history in a competitive match.

"The team showed the depth of their character. They were superb out there," said Munster coach Jerry Holland. "The organisation was there, the leadership was there, the support was there. I always believed we would bounce back after Cardiff. No praise is too high for the whole team."

Dallaglio used the word "humiliated" to describe their experience while Wasps director of rugby former England captain and scrum half Nigel Melville said: "They taught us a real lesson and one I hope we will learn."

One left Thomond park with another golden memory and generous appreciation for a superb collective effort in the cause of Munster and Irish rugby. "It was, said Galwey "a great day for the Munster jersey." It was all of that and may its glory never fade.