The new Guinness Pro14 season kicked off over the weekend with Leinster edging out Cardiff Blues away in a thriller on the Friday.
The following day, Munster outclassed Cheetahs of South Africa 38-0, before Ulster just about overcame Scarlets at Kingspan Stadium and Connacht lost to Glasgow Warriors by just a point at the Sportsground.
The Irish Independent rugby correspondent Ruaidhri O'Connor joined Joe Molloy on Monday night rugby to discuss the first impressions of the 2018-19 season from an Irish perspective.
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Leinster fans got to see Joe Tomane at close quarters in a competitive game and he didn't shine on his debut.
"Leinster's defence was poor, their decision-making was pretty poor. Joe Tomane had a really poor debut," said Ruaidhri.
"He got stripped of the ball four different times and also missed a pretty key tackle for one of the tries.
"You would give him a chance but you expect your marquee names to come in and make an impact.
"Scott Fardy even had an uncharacteristic howler when he threw a quick throw into touch or in from touch that led to a Cardiff try. Just loose stuff that is early season."
Meanwhile, Joey Carbery made his competitive debut for Munster after moving from rivals Leinster against Cheetahs.
But Ruaidhri focused on JJ Hanrahan, who showed signs of the potential that he had demonstrated when he first burst on the scene, while also highlighting a real find in scrum half Neil Cronin, who stepped in for the injured Conor Murray and who was "plucked from the AIL".
