The 2006 and 2008 Heineken Cup winners scored six tries in total in a comprehensive 45-18 win at fortress Thomond Park.

It was all plain sailing for Munster once they overcame a nightmare start that saw them fall seven points behind within the opening two minutes.

From then on in, it was a sea of red as Tony McGahan’s men crossed for three tries in each half to climb to the top of Pool 3.

The Magners League leaders were simply sensational against a Toulon outfit showing 12 changes from last week’s win over the Ospreys but which could still call on star names such as Carl Hayman, George Smith and Joe van Niekerk.

Captain Denis Leamy, prop Tony Buckley and wing Denis Hurley breached French defences in the eighth, 19th and 35th minutes respectively as Toulon became the latest European giant to leave Munster with nothing but a bruised ego.

A 40-metre drop goal from replacement Jonny Wilkinson hinted at the possibility of a Toulon comeback from a 24-10 half-time deficit but further tries from Mick O’Drsicoll, Doug Howlett and James Coughlan secured maximum points for a Munster side intent on claiming a third continental crown.

Toulon actually struck first with their very first attack of the match thanks to a fine try from Jean Phillippe Genevois. The hooker raced home from 25 metres after a typically powerful midfield break from skipper van Niekerk, although the Munster crowd were convinced the score came after a forward pass.

Felipe Contepomi added the extras from the 15-metre line on the right-hand side to give last season’s beaten Amlin Challenge Cup finalists a dream start in Limerick.

But that dream was short lived as Munster hit back just six minutes later thanks to Leamy’s well-worked score.

After relentless forward pressure had resulted in a yellow card for Toulon blindside George Smith, Peter Stringer broke off the back of a scrum just metres from the tryline before popping back inside to his onrushing captain.

Ronan O’Gara duly added the extras to ensure Munster were back on level terms nine minutes in.

A single shout of ‘Leinster reject’ amid otherwise complete silence accompanied Contepomi’s next shot at goal, with the Argentine star duly sending his long-range effort wide of the posts.

That miss almost brought about one of the tries of the season as Munster attacked expertly from deep.

Contepomi’s effort landed in the safe hands of Paul Warwick and the Munster full back ignored the easy option of kicking to touch to instead run the ball straight back at a broken defensive line.

Warwick took play up to his own 22, Munster recycled and Doug Howlett set off down the right wing.

The former All Black showed his pace before cutting inside and then feeding Johne Murphy close to the Toulon 10-metre line.

Murphy raced home, with England wing Paul Sackey unable to cut him off, but what looked like being a truly sensational score was spoilt by a fine tackle from Contepomi.

Referee Wayne Barnes called upon the television match official and he ruled that Murphy’s foot had slipped into touch before the ball had been grounded.

There was more disappointment in the form of a TV replay just two minutes later as Buckley was denied a score through the use of technology. The Ireland prop powered through from close range but the score was ruled out, much to the annoyance of the home fans.

It was a case of third time lucky as the game approached 20 minutes, however, as Munster were finally rewarded for their forward dominance.

Buckley again made the final move and Barnes again called for assistance. But this time the result was just what Munster wanted: a second try, five points and a relatively straightforward conversion attempt to follow.

Unsurprisingly, O’Gara had no difficulty for the second conversion running and Munster were seven points clear at 14-7.

The home side’s third try came five minutes before the interval, and again required confirmation from the television match official.

Hurley’s outstretched arm extended the home side’s lead, with O’Gara making it 21-10 with a third successful conversion.

Contepomi was badly off target with another penalty attempt on the struck of half-time to leave the 2006 and 2008 Heineken Cup winners holding a 14-point lead at the break.

And if later stages of the first half had been all Munster, it was a case of more of the same in the second.

Heineken Man of the Match O’Driscoll secured the bonus-point with a short burst before Howlett claimed his side’s fifth try by somehow gathering O’Gara’s clever chip through just moments later.

Coughlan rounded things off for the hosts with time running out and, although van Niekerk raced clear with the final play of the game, Toulon left for home having experienced a brutal welcome to the world of Heineken Cup rugby on the road.