Foley brings Munster message to Waterford as Exiles in town

For those Munster supporters and possibly players who believe their province exists purely along the N20 between Cork and Limerick, tomorrow evening’s pre-season friendly with London Irish offers an opportunity to take something of a rare detour.

Waterford’s Regional Sports Centre will host Munster’s first-team squad for the first time as Anthony Foley’s players complete their pre-season preparations in the annual SEAT Challenge against the Exiles.

The game also marks Munster’s first home game outside of Cork and Limerick in the professional era, other than when taking a big European fixture to Lansdowne Road, and is Foley’s first home game in charge since succeeding Rob Penney as head coach earlier this summer.

Munster lock Billy Holland understands there is responsibility on the players to put on a good show for a potentially new audience in province.

“I played there a few years ago with the As (against Nottingham, 2010) and it’s a fantastic pitch, a soccer pitch with a good stand and all that, so we’re looking forward to it,” Holland told the Irish Examiner.

“It’s something different and at this time of year it’s great to showcase it around the province, not in Cork or Limerick. We were in Kerry, in Dingle, for the ‘Munster Race’ and now we’re heading east to Waterford, so that’s good.”

The pre-season, team-building exercise that is the Munster Race had already taken some players to Waterford with Andrew Conway, Sean Dougall, Dave Kilcoyne, Luke O’Dea, Tommy O’Donnell and Niall Scannell roaming city and county and helping to raise €600 for The Solas Centre and St Vincent de Paul.

“It takes you out of your comfort zone a little bit and there’s some fellas who’ve probably never been to Waterford before,” Holland added with a laugh, “and there’s going to be plenty of people down there who’ve never seen us play before, so it gives us the added impetus, playing in front of guys who might not have seen Munster Rugby play in the flesh.”

Head coach Foley also recognises the importance of his players spreading the word throughout the province.

“We’re conscious that we represent the whole of Munster, and that there’s a passion within young guys across the six counties who want to represent Munster when they grow up,” Foley told the Munster website. “It’s great that we have the opportunity to play our pre-season friendly at the Waterford RSC and we want to continue to bring the game around the province.”