Time to put things right
The New Zealand-born Irish man his teammate Paul O'Connell jokes that Mullins has won fourteen caps for his father's country and none for the All Blacks has worn the red of Munster since 1999 but apart from three runners-up medals, has nothing tangible to show for some memorable and magnificent sporting occasions. The time has surely arrived to put things right.
"At the start of the season, we set out to win the Celtic League and I'm sure the other provinces wanted to do so as well", says Mullins.
"Everybody will want to play down the favourites role; our score this year against Neath (35-19) settled one from last season when they gave us a hiding. I'd say we are evens going into the game. Also, most guys would like to get a win at the Millennium Stadium, especially in a final, and it's a help that most of us have played there before while the internationals like Anthony Foley and others have won there several times. "We want to do it for our supporters more than ourselves although it would be a great weight off our shoulders as well. We've been there but haven't delivered."
Mullins insists he isn't surprised that Munster have continued to thrive in spite of the new coaching regime combined with the retirement of Peter Clohessy and (nearly) Mick Galwey. Indeed, he believes he himself may have achieved a new lease of life from the new set-up.
"Alan has brought in something fresh for the team to work on," he maintains. "We are trying to change our style, to spread the ball wider. Generally most guys have taken that on board although obviously it's going to take time to work it into the team pattern. The change has been good for the team and obviously for the Irish team as well with the influence of Declan and Niallo.
"Players are adapting and if Mick O'Driscoll feels comfortable standing out on the wing, then why not! It's part of the game, you've got to be adaptable whether you're a second-row or a centre. Centres have to hit rucks these days, that's the one thing that has changed for me since becoming a professional. Before that, most backs would never think of hitting a ruck, that was a forward's job. Now keeping possession is everybody's job.
"Personally, I like to see the ball, so this way suits me. Obviously, it depends who we are playing, they may have a certain style of play and sometimes we might just have to run a decoy. Yeah, this season has been good for me, I've played quite a few matches and my form seems to be ok. I'd like to think I've been one of the cogs that's helped our success. There's a World Cup to aim for and that's another thing driving me on."
Although the mindset has now switched very much to Neath, Mullins and his squad mates still look back to the miracle that was the demolition of Gloucester. Even though the wings scored three of the four tries, he gives most of the credit to the forwards.
"Beforehand, we had three scenarios, we'd either just lose, just win or give them a hiding," he mused. "I actually believed we needed only three tries and 20 points to get through. We were 26-6 up and we had our three tries. Then the penalty to Gloucester came up just before full time and John Kelly and myself were telling each other we were ok., we've got enough points even if he kicks it and then they ran it instead.
"Fortunately, after that we try a back move that we had only used on the training pitch and John scores our fourth try. Ronan puts over the conversion and the final whistle goes and the mad rush comes on to the pitch. So I got out of there lively and I still didn't know the full story until I got to the changing room. Then the management said, let's get out there and thank our supporters and that was quite emotional and a few tears were shed.
"We didn't think we could do it; we knew we could win but four tries against an outfit that gave us a hammering over there and after Perpignan ... most guys thought we had blown our season and our golf handicaps were going to come down. But it's not so and so we keep training on."
In his days back in his native Dargaville, about two hours from Auckland, Mullins reckoned he would play on to around the age of 35. Now, however, he sees his career extending well beyond that and uses the outstanding Welsh and 1997 Lions centre Alan Bateman as his role model.
"Since coming to Europe and Munster, I would like to think 37, 38 is possible", he maintained. "Alan Bateman of Neath springs to mind, he's still going professionally at that age. I love playing rugby and I don't want to have a real job. My wife and other people slag us for playing rugby as our job and don't see it as real work. But the travel can make it hard life, anybody in a normal job is not three months away from the family and it's even harder for the married guys on the national panel."
Mullins laughs when he admits that "keeping the younger guys off my heels for the next few years" may determine the length of his career but he readily admits that he loves the lifestyle. He has settled happily in Limerick where he has lived for almost four years and he recently bought a house in the Annacotty area. It means his daughter, Cherelle, 15, can walk to school at Castletroy College while his three year-old son, Kalib Ronan (after the Munster outhalf) is a true blue native already showing promise at hurling!
Mike himself is a slightly unusual rugby player in that he doesn't drink pints. It has nothing to do with fitness levels ("I probably tried beer when I was about 12 and that put me off it") but he does enjoy a glass or two of whiskey, especially Bushmills 10 year-old, and admits to having a few after the Gloucester match. "Depending on this week's result, maybe another one or two on Saturday night," he signed off.
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