Reigning champions Munster are on the verge of re-writing the Heineken Cup record books in the next two rounds...
The Irishmen already hold the tournament record for the most consecutive home wins - a staggering 30 - and a victory over Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park on Sunday would take them past Leicester Tigers' best of five away wins in a row.
And if Paul O'Connell's men can make it three out of three this season against the Blues then they will match the Tigers' Heineken Cup record of 11 straight wins. The Leicester winning streak started with a fourth round win at home to Pontypridd in the 2000/2001 season and carried on through to the final round of Pool matches the following season when they lost at Llanelli.
The last team to beat Munster in Europe were Sale Sharks in the opening round of last season's tournament. After that they were faultless in their eight remaining games, culminating in their title win over Biarritz Olympique at the Millennium Stadium, and were winners against Leicester Tigers and Bourgoin in the opening two rounds of this season.
Munster travel to the Welsh capital this weekend and then host the Blues at Thomond Park on Saturday, 16 December. Cardiff Blues are the only team to beat Munster at a home game in the Heineken Cup in Musgrave Park.
The 11 match Leicester Tigers winning streak was as follows (including five away wins):
2000/2001: Pool Matches: beat Pontypridd 27-19 (h), beat Pau 20-3 (a), beat Glasgow 41-26 (h); QF: beat Swansea 41-10 (h); SF: beat Gloucester 19-15 (Watford); Final: beat Stade Francais 34-30 (Paris).
2001/2002: Pool Matches: beat Llanelli 12-9 (h), beat Amatori & Calvisano 37-3 (a), beat Perpignan 31-30 (a), beat Perpignan 54-15 (h), beat Amatori & Calvisano 29-7 (h)
The 10 match Munster winning run is as follows (including five away wins):
2005/2006: Pool Matches: beat Castres Olympique 42-16 (h), beat Dragons 24-8 (a), beat Dragons 30-18 (h), beat Castres Olympique 46-9 (a), beat Sale Sharks 31-9 (h); QF: beat Perpignan 19-10 (h); SF: beat Leinster 30-6 (Dublin); Final: beat Biarritz Olympique 23-19 (Cardiff).
2006/2007: Pool Matches: beat Leicester Tigers 21-19 (a), beat Bourgoin 41-23 (h).
