Howlett: ideal cure for RWC hangover
If it did, a central figure like Doug Howlett would have been happy to oblige.
As ticket sales creep ever closer to a 51,500 sell out, Howlett promised the match would live up to its billing as another significant battle in the ongoing war for Irish domestic bragging rights.
Despite this being a game of champions, pitching the 2011 Heineken Cup winners against the 2011 Magners League holders, Howlett believes it will provide the disappointed World Cup players with just the challenge they all need.
“The best thing to get over rugby is to get back into it; there was huge expectation in the World Cup and they didn’t quite make it but to get back playing rugby is sometimes the best medicine,” he said.
“Yeah, we could see there was disappointment; one can reflect on what has been but then you must get straight into rugby because that’s what we all love doing.
“The environment that Munster has created is that it’s a wonderful place to come back and play rugby and you can see with the [our] squad that they’re only too keen to come back and start playing again. That’s a good sign going forward and for this week in particular.”
Former All Black Howlett had more joy than his Munster colleagues, enthralled by the way New Zealand ran Rugby World Cup and delighted at the eventual outcome, an 8-7 final win for the Kiwis against France.
But his focus then, and now, has mainly been on Munster, who lie second in the RaboDirect table behind leaders Ospreys and just ahead of tonight’s rivals Leinster on points difference.
There’s more at stake than just those bragging rights.
Munster enjoyed a brilliant start to their campaign but fell off the pace twice in quick succession, losing to Edinburgh away and Ospreys at home. The win over Aironi pushed them back into contention.
The 18-6 win in poor conditions at Musgrave Park hardly sent shock waves through the Leinster camp, but Howlett was pleased with many aspects of the performance.
“It takes time to synchronise when players come back but these guys have played a lot of rugby for us and they are all keen to get back involved. That’s a plus.
“I wouldn’t look too much into the result; if you look a little deeper beyond the scoreline there was a lot achieved and a lot of good work that the squad, for a first time out, produced. I believe it gives us a strong base in terms of preparation for this game.”
Although Howlett insisted nobody will be tempted to look forward a week to a Heineken Cup opener against Northampton Saints, he conceded a game against Leinster was an ideal challenge in the build up to a European campaign.
“Results have spoken for themselves between us and Leinster over the past few years; there were a lot of games, high points and low points for both sides, and there really is nothing overall between the two teams.
“It’s an ideal match to have at any time and particularly as a lead in to the Heineken Cup because this, I guess, will be a real high quality encounter. Realistically, it’s a game that both squads can benefit from because it’s so special.
“It’s no ordinary match, but an occasion as well; that’s a credit to Irish rugby that at this point in time you could sell that many tickets [45,000 and rising].
“There was huge excitement here a few weeks ago about the World Cup and how well the Irish team did. So I suppose in a sense the supporters view this as an opportunity to see a lot of those Irish players in action for both sides, with the added bonus of knowing that they will be playing against each other. That makes for potentially great viewing.”
Howlett sticks with a proven script that the outcome of tonight’s game will hinge on the battle up front: “These sorts of games are always won up front, and between Leinster and Munster it always seems to be a ding-dong battle. The set piece will be as crucial as the breakdown, so that’s two areas both teams will be targeting.”
And that’s just for starters. It’s where the fun begins but not where it might end.
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