Henderson expects Munster to improve

IF Munster’s pre-season form is anything to go by, then the team will improve on last year, according to centre Rob Henderson.

The team gets its first run out in eight days’ time when they face Northampton at Thomond Park, and while Henderson admitted that though it may be an experimental affair, the players were looking forward to the outing.

“With Declan Kidney coming back to us as coach and a number of new players having joined the squad, I am sure we will be trying new bits and pieces and that it will take time for the players to get used to one another again,” Henderson said.

He said that the squad had been back in training for the past seven weeks, having had four weeks off at the end of last season.

But he added that the players were “jumping out of their skins” and intent on landing the European Cup.

“We’ve won the Celtic League and the Celtic Cup and the one we have not won is the European Cup. That is our goal this season.”

Henderson was speaking at the announcement of Ballygowan as the new official water supplier to the Munster team. Ballygowan has signed up to a six-figure, three-year deal with Munster and will now be the official water supplier to the Senior and U21 Munster teams.

Meanwhile, New Zealand are waiting to see whether captain Tana Umaga has recovered from an ankle injury in time to play in Saturday’s Tri-Nations match in Sydney.

AUSTRALIA: D Mitchell; M Gerrard, S Mortlock, M Turinui, L Tuqiri; M Giteau, G Gregan (captain); D Lyons, G Smith, J Roe, N Sharpe, D Vickerman; A Baxter, J Paul, B Young.

Replacements: B Cannon, M Dunning, M Chisholm, P Waugh, C Whitaker, E Flatley, C Rathbone.

NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina; R Gear, C Smith/T Umaga (captain); A Mauger, J Rokocoko; D Carter, P Weepu; R So’oialo, R McCaw, J Collins, A Williams, C Jack; C Hayman, K Mealamu, T Woodcock.

Replacements: D Witcombe, G Somerville, J Ryan, M Holah, K Senio, L McAlister, L MacDonald.