RUGBY:PERFORMANCES SUCH as Munster's in their 15-6 win over Australia on Tuesday in Thomond Park don't come about by accident. Ever conscious of their heritage, and as they did on the day they hosted the All Blacks in that memorable encounter two seasons ago, Munster again dipped heavily into their past before beating Australia for a fourth time.

On the day of the game, the starting XV from the win over Australia at Musgrave Park in 1992 met over lunch with the starting XV that afternoon at the Clarion Hotel.

“We did something similar with the 1978 side. It was a get-together and a lunch with a few words spoken,” explained coach Tony McGahan.

“Mick Galwey spoke and Ger Clohessy spoke on behalf of the ’92 side and I said a few words for the current group. Players sat with their opposite number and swapped stories and had a bit of a chat.

“It was just a lunch and a gathering and sharing of experiences, really, and getting the young blokes to soak up some of the experiences the ’92 side had.”

Cleverly too, the Munster management had tapped into the province’s spirit the day before when video analyst George Murray presented the current squad with a DVD of highlights from both the 1992 win and the 2009 performance against the All Blacks.

And after Tuesday’s lunch, the ’92 side (coached by the current Munster CEO Garrett Fitzgerald) enjoyed a re-run of their win over the Wallabies, then the World champions, and who had beaten Leinster 38-11 the previous Saturday.

All bar Terry Kingston and Richard Wallace made it to the Clarion on Tuesday, along with four of the replacements, John “Packo” Fitzgerald, Sonny Kiely, George O’Sullivan and Jim Galvin, who came on for the injured Dan Larkin at outhalf and landed the late winning drop goal.

Australia had led 19-10 at half-time but, as on Tuesday night, failed to score in the second half as three Charlie Haly penalties and Galvin’s drop goal added to a first-half penalty try, which Haly converted as well as landing his first penalty.

Remembered as much for the fighting as the rugby on a torrid Wednesday afternoon in Cork, Galwey was sent off late on along with Garrick Morgan when the French referee belatedly took some token action in response to yet another free-for-all.

The game plan – Galwey admitted – was fairly straightforward.

“I think what happened was their fullback dropped the first ball and that was a licence to kick every ball up on top of him,” recalled Galwey with a chuckle.

“When the brawl started, everybody got stuck in except Richie Wallace, who kicked their mascot, a kangaroo cuddly toy on the side of the pitch.

“That was his contribution to the scrap.”

“Individually they were definitely better than us,” accepts Galwey, “but a bit like Tuesday night, we won the game as a collective unit.

“They had a great team but that’s how we beat them.”

This was Munster’s seventh win, along with 10 draws, in 25 games against touring international sides, though surprisingly, only the second in Thomond Park to accompany the celebrated win of 1978.

No game has done more to revive these midweek meet-ups than the epic confrontation with the All Blacks two seasons ago and they look here to stay, all the more so after a crowd of 21,314 braved a night you wouldn’t have put the cat out in.

“For the players, and for the management, but also for the fans and the city and for Munster rugby, it gives everyone a real lift and it’s something different to look forward to,” said McGahan.

Beating Ulster and Australia back-to-back despite missing 21 and 17 players, respectively, underlines the improved strength in depth at Munster, and for the likes of Ian Nagle, Peter O’Mahony, Duncan Williams and the three academy players on the bench, the experience ought to be particularly invaluable.

“These guys need experience and opportunity,” says McGahan, “and the biggest thing they’ll get out of it is confidence and belief in their own ability that they can participate at that level and contribute to victory. That’s really important and they deserve all the plaudits that they received last night.”

The hard part will be coming down from Tuesday’s high and fronting up against the Scarlets on Sunday in a Magners League summit meeting between the top two.

“The team will be very, very similar to what ran out on Tuesday night, and it’s going to be difficult,” admits the Munster coach.

“The players have been on a massive high but the same group had the Ulster result three weeks ago. There are four points on offer and the important thing is we’re playing the second best side so we could put some daylight between us and them. It will be an exciting challenge for the group.”

Of course, by the end of Tuesday night, the heroes of 2010 were inquiring as to whether there’ll be a dinner for them 30 years hence. And there probably will be.