Munster breathed a sigh of relief last night when Ireland captain Keith Wood declared himself okay after an injury scare in his side's defeat by Leicester at Welford Road.

Wood hurt a leg at the start of the second half, when he was late tackled by flanker Lewis Moody. He had to go off moments later.

But Wood said afterwards that he would be fit for next weekend's European Cup quarter-final against Stade Francais.

It was the only good news on the night for Munster in the battle between the English and the Irish champions, for they were outscored three tries to two and played a major part in ruining what had been a promising match. The first half was an absolute corker, with the Leicester turning around 17-7 ahead, but after the interval the two sides used a grand total of 18 replacements, Munster using an unprecedented 12.

Leicester: T Stimpson, N Ezulike, L LLoyd, P Howard, D Lougheed, A Goode, J Grindal, G Rowntree, D West, R Nebbett, M Johnson(capt), F Van Heerden, W Johnson, L Moody, M Corry.

Munster: D Crotty, A Horgan, M Mullins, J Holland, J Kelly, R O'Gara, P Stringer, P Clohessy, K Wood, P Bracken, M Galway(capt) J Langford, A Quinlan, D Wallace, A Foley.

Referee: C Muir (Scotland)