Cullen countdown begins for Munster

IT will come as no surprise if Christian Cullen is jetlagged before he boards an aircraft for Ireland on Saturday.

It is almost two weeks since Munster's star signing played his last game on home soil, and since that appearance for Wellington in the NPC final he has been living out of a suitcase.

He has travelled the length and breadth of New Zealand to publicise his recently-released biography, Christian Cullen Life on the Run.

Yesterday found him heading out the South Island town of Ashburton, one of the last stops on the whirlwind tour, from which he will return home to bid farewell to family and friends before he and girlfriend Mandy quit New Zealand.

Although Cullen is Munster-bound he says he knows little about what lies ahead. He isn't even sure what date he will touch down in Cork.

"I know we fly out on November 8 to Heathrow and then on to Cork," he said yesterday. "I don't really know what to expect when I get there but I am really looking forward to it. I am pretty happy about it all. I like Ireland and I like the people.

"When it came to deciding my future, playing for Munster seemed like the best option for me, better than joining a club in Britain, France or Japan," he said.

Apart from being certain that he will be resident in Cork, Cullen says where he will live and which club he will be aligned to are matters still to be resolved.

And while he knows about the European Cup competition he has not followed it closely but he is well aware of Munster's fanatical rugby supporters - a real positive in his opinion - and he is relishing the opportunity to play for one of Europe's top teams.

He hopes his role in Alan Gaffney's team will see him wearing his favoured number 15 jersey.

Cullen has, of course, been watching the World Cup and was impressed with Ireland's performance against Australia. "They were pretty unlucky not to win," he said.

The book tour has given Cullen an enforced break from rugby and he says he has enjoyed the rest. "I don't think I can play until the 20th of this month anyway, but I imagine that training will be full on once I arrive in Ireland."

And for the record, Cullen has no Irish ancestors and, yes, he has sampled Guinness.