Leinster-Munster classic helps Jack Conan 'sooth the pain' after World Cup disappointment

Jack Conan says playing his part in a riveting Leinster-Munster derby was soothing but admitted the disappointment of Ireland's World Cup exit was something he would "never be over".

The 31-year-old back row, in his first club appearance of the season, was named player of the match as Leo Cullen's side edged out Munster on Saturday night at a near-full Aviva Stadium, winning a BKT URC thriller 21-16.

"It was great to be back playing, a joy to be here in front of a full house, back in blue, seems like years since I played a game for Leinster," said the Wicklow man, who recovered from a foot injury to feature against Scotland and New Zealand in France.

"I kind of had a disjointed last few months with injuries so to get a good 80 minutes under my belt was a real joy.

"I was chatting to Johnny [Sexton, former Ireland and Leinster captain] the other day and it's one of those things, you'll never be over the disappointment of it.

"We're lucky [at Leinster] in the sense that you get to lace up the boots a few weeks later.

"I had two weeks off and then I was back in, rehabbing stuff. You just want to get going again and you want to help the lads out. I always struggle watching lads playing, I want to be playing.

"That's been tough over the last two weeks. You want to be adding to the environment, you want to be out there in blue, playing with your mates. I was so eager to get back [I] cut the holiday short a few days.

"The only way to help put everything in the past is to get back playing and it definitely helped, getting the win in the Aviva, full house, it's class, it's great to be back."

Fourteen of Leinster's starting XV played at the World Cup, while five of Munster's match-day squad saw action in France, and Conan revealed what it