PETER STRINGER emerged as Munster’s Heineken Cup final hero with a man-of-the-match performance and a match-winning try. But he epitomised Munster’s team ethics when he spurned personal glory and praised his teammates as they grasped their opportunity to be crowned kings of Europe at the third time of asking.

To Stringer, being named man of the match was an incidental bonus. After playing for Munster in two losing finals, it was winning the Heineken Cup that mattered most to the Ireland scrum-half.

“We waited so long for this, I can’t ask for more than the lads gave today. From one to 22, the guys have given 100%,” Stringer said as 50,000 men and women of Limerick began one of the biggest parties ever held in Wales.

An even bigger street party had already started back in Limerick. “I am just thrilled for the fans,” Stringer added. “This is for them as well as us. It seems the whole of Munster are here. They have been with us so much over the years and have travelled with us everywhere. It has been a long time, we have worked hard and we are delighted with the win.”

On his cheeky solo try that effectively won the match, Stringer said: “It was totally off the cuff. I had a little look up and, thankfully, their winger had gone infield. I saw the gap and went for it.”

Yesterday’s win over Biarritz, the French champions, was Munster’s greatest triumph since they beat the All Blacks in 1978.

In the 11 years since the Heineken Cup kicked off, they have been beaten finalists twice. Yet Stringer insisted the team were not motivated by their past disappointments. “It was more about belief for the next year, thinking about what’s going on and not what’s behind you,” he said.

Munster’s victory cost Irish golfer Darren Clarke a share of the lead going into the final round of the Nissan Irish Open. Clarke was distracted by a giant TV screen and missed a tap-in birdie putt on the 18th green. “I was too busy watching the rugby and just completely went blank,” admitted the Ulsterman.