Where Has The Famous Munster ‘Red Army’ Gone?

7,200 people attended the Munster and Ulster game two weeks ago and many complained it was the 6pm Friday kick-off that deterred fans.

Fast forward two weeks to Munster’s opening Champions Cup game, the biggest competition in provincial rugby – 12,348, that was the number. Where have the Munster faithful gone? Most of them were never there to begin with in my opinion. The empty half of the stadium are back in their holes, waiting to reappear once the going gets good again. They were there in their drones when Munster dominated the European scene – lifting two European trophies in three years, but sure if they’re not winning what’s the point in being associated with them?

Munster’s failings in recent years are a result of a combination of things. Players have retired, teams have gotten better, money hasn’t been spent accordingly and the level of coaching hasn’t been of Munster’s usual standard. That’s no reason however to stop supporting your province. It begs the question when the going was good were the famous “Munster Red Army” mere mercenaries paid in glory?

Whether it takes a couple of seasons or a decade, in my mind I have no doubt that Munster will once again reach the pinnacle of European rugby but people have to understand that Munster are currently going through a transitionary period and the ‘Golden Age’ was something rather special that wasn’t built in a day. Do the fans not remember that it took almost a decade of shortcomings in the first place before Munster finally lifted their first European Cup? There’s plenty of homes games left this season ‘Red Army’… prove me wrong.

From a Munster fan.