Munster s trip to France got off to the worst possible start when their flight departure was delayed because of fog. The intention was that the Jetmagic charter would leave Cork Airport yesterday morning and land in Shannon to pick up the 27 strong remainder of the traveling party.

That group was checked in and ready for the 12.15 departure except the blanket of fog that had enveloped the airport prevented the Jetmagic flight from landing. The aircraft circled Shannon for about half an hour before returning to Cork Airport.

A coach (the wheely version) was hastily summoned and the Shannon contingent left Shannon Airport at 1.35 en route to Cork Airport where they eventually arrived at 3.50. Arrangements had already been made to get the party onto the waiting aircraft and at 4.20 the flight took off and arrived in Lyon two hours later after a sublimely smooth flight.

On arrival at Lyon they were met by old friend Vincent Lacrampe-Camus, the man they first came across in Bordeaux in 2000 and who has become an integral part of the Munster side since. Vincent attends to all Munster's culinery needs when they travel to France, staying with the side for the duration of their French stay.

The Munster squad made the short ten minute journey to the nearby Mercure Hotel, the delay in getting to their destination of no great consequence according to coach Alan Gaffney.

" It was a bit of a gruel all right but we have a day to recover so there's no real difficulty. These things happen. There's nothing you can do about it. Same thing happened last year but in reverse in that the fog affected Cork. On that occasion we were travelling on a Friday (to Italy) for a Saturday game, so then, it was not ideal prepration."

"We learned from that and this around gave ourselves an extra day. Just in case. So we've reaped the benefit of the last experience. "

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