KEY POINTS:
In October 1978, Ireland's national broadcaster, RTE, was preparing to launch a second channel. No one at the corporation thought it would be worthwhile taking a camera to Thomond Park, Limerick, on October 31.
Munster were playing the All Blacks and the inevitable rout would not make great TV.
So the cameras stayed away until the final 10 minutes when they were rushed into the ground in the hope they could capture history. Munster, little old Munster, had beaten the mighty All Blacks 12-0.
But 30 years on, those who played for Munster that day aren't angry or sad the moment was never captured on film. The absence of pictures has allowed the legend to grow.
"As time goes by, we can tell a few more lies and the story gets bigger and bigger," says Christy Cantillon, the flanker for Munster who scored the game's only try.
The legend of Munster's victory will be given plenty of air time before the game on November 18. The heroes of 1978 will be asked to recount their memories of that famous day and, to a man, they will add a bit here and there and leave their audience transfixed.
Munster's win remains the most famous upset in world rugby. The biggest because the Irish have a story-telling gift that allows them to romanticise like no other nation.
The tale of that game is now a global epic, supported with a book and a play _ and probably a film to come.
It has all the ingredients required _ a world famous international team, an underdog, a ramshackle old ground and supporters who would die for the cause.
Quite how much of an underdog Munster were is recalled by Cantillon. "We were quite worried about being hammered. The All Blacks had beaten everyone decisively in England and Wales.
"They had beaten London Division by about 35 points I think. Some time before we had been over and played Middlesex and they had beaten us 33-7 and only four of their players had made it into the London side.
"So if you went mathematically, there were some who were saying that we might lose to the All Blacks by 70 points. Playing the All Blacks is not a chance you get very often and none of us wanted to let Munster down, to let our friends and families down."
The trip to London had been an eye-opener for Munster coach Tom Kiernan and when the side returned to Ireland he shifted training to an army barracks. A car was put at each corner of the ground with the lights turned on and that was it, Munster had their floodlights and the players had no escape from a brutal fitness regime.
"It was tough, really tough training," recalls Cantillon. Of course, team joker Moss Keane managed to regularly hide behind one of the cars, to ensure he never had to slog through 12 laps with everyone else.
Kiernan felt his team had to improve their fitness and knowledge.
A friend in Wales got Kiernan footage of some of the All Blacks games in England and Wales which the players had to study.
"We were able to see what the All Blacks were doing," says Cantillon. "They were playing very open rugby and they regularly used a move where Stu Wilson would come off his wing either inside or outside the out-half."
The research paid dividends. In the early minutes, the All Blacks were dominant and set themselves up to bring in Wilson. "He came outside the fly-half so he was Seamus Dennison's man _ if he had come inside, he would have been mine _ and the little fella pole-axed him. Five minutes later and they called the same move and you could see that Wilson wasn't keen to do it again.
"Tom Kiernan liked to keep things really simple. We kept the ball behind them and then we tried to defend like bejesus. We put all our small fellas at the front of the lineout and all our big fellas at the back as Tom thought that would confuse the Blacks.
"Brendan Foley stood at the front as if he was going to be a lifter and then we threw the ball to him."
The All Blacks can't blame confusion for their demise. They were beaten by the passion and intensity of the Munster performance. Cantillon's try was supported by two drop goals and a conversion by Tony Ward and Munster were in charge for more then two thirds of the game.
Despite that, Cantillon says no one in the Munster side thought they were going to win until the final whistle. All thoughts of what might be achieved were blocked until the deed was done.
"I think at the final whistle it was disbelief and maybe also a little bit of relief. We got into the changing room and then the crowd started chanting for us to come back. So we did and then we spent ages trying to get back.
"We found out Donal Canniffe's father had died in Cork during the game. That was a reality that was hard, and it was hard that our captain had to miss all the speeches and excitement after the game.
"The All Blacks then went on to beat the four Home Unions which was something they had never done before. I think what that game did was to force them to change all their patterns _ to get back to a traditional All Black style of rugby."
The events of 1978 are only one part of the Munster legacy. Modern Munster are one of the most successful clubs in the professional era. They have won two Heineken Cups and built a 30,000 seat stadium at
Thomond Park that will be filled almost every time they play.
Yet, despite being one of the giants of Europe, having deep pockets, an enormous fan base and the ability to sign overseas superstars like Doug Howlett and Christian Cullen, Munster stays in touch with history.
When the All Blacks play in Limerick on November 18, the men of 1978 will be duly respected and honoured. Each player of the 1978 side will present the jersey to his 2008 equivalent. It's a nice touch, showing literally how the Munster ethos is about handing the jersey from one generation to the next.
That jersey exchange could be a little strange with the likely appearance of Howlett, Rua Tipoki and Lifeimi Mafi for Munster. Nick Williams, too, might be fit to play.
"There will be 15 Munster men playing the All Blacks," says Cantillon. "They are Munstermen now. I have met the New Zealanders and they are fabulous lads.
"I think Doug might like to show the All Blacks what he can still do."
