Clayton McMillan won’t be turning his nose up at Challenge Cup rugby when April swings around with the Munster head coach declaring that the province’s rich heritage gives them no right to expect any higher ground. “There is nobody in this building that is happy about receiving the consolation prize of having to go and play in the Challenge Cup but we also understand that, though we have a rich history in the Champions Cup, that history doesn't give us a rite of passage. But there's a long way to go.”McMillan’s appearance at the week’s first media engagement was a good sign. The 51-year old was honest in stating that the dressing-room he entered after the Castres game contained “as much disappointment as I’ve seen in a changing-room, no matter what environment I’ve been in”. Munster's Tadhg Beirne stands dejected after the Investec Champions Cup loss to Castres in Limerick last Saturday.

Source: Irish Examiner January 20, 2026 01:42 UTC