New boy Howard hails Hurley heroics

Munster’s midfield new boy Pat Howard praised the contribution of centre partner Denis Hurley as he celebrated victory over his province’s arch-rivals Leinster.

South African loanee Howard, 22, combined well with Hurley at Thomond Park on St Stephen’s Day as Munster imposed their physicality on their interprovincial visitors in defence and attack on their way to a first double over the Blues since 2008/09.

The 28-13 league victory snapped a three-game losing streak and sent Munster back into third place in the Guinness Pro12 table, with Howard showing he is settling well five games into his three-month loan spell from Western Province. The player brought in as short-term injury cover got his side over the gainline as Munster repeatedly punched holes in Leinster’s defence, while he and Hurley dovetailed neatly in defence as Matt O’Connor’s side failed to break the home side down, managing just one late consolation try.

Hurley’s effort certainly caught the eye of his midfield partner and Howard said: “I thought he played fantastic. He is a very physical guy, a great defender and he is always getting over the gain-line and offering options on the offload, a quality guy to have in the side. And with the experience he has, he is always reassuring you, all the time, in defence what I need to be doing and backing me up the whole time and it is great to have him inside me.”

Howard said he had been surprised to learn Hurley was new to the inside centre position: “He is a quality player and he looks like he could fill in anywhere, but he is really valuable with his size and physicality and he gets over the gain-line. We needed to be physical owing to the conditions and the ball being a bit greasy and myself and Denis did well in that department. Our kickers did their job, our pack did their job and won that battle.

“It’s always going to be difficult against Leinster. They’re a quality side regardless of which players they are putting on the field. We did our jobs as we set out to do and got the result.”

Howard would be keen to stay at Munster beyond his three-month contract, which is up in mid-February, but recognises he has obligations to Western Province and is required back home in South Africa for the Super Rugby pre-season, a competition in which he is yet to make an appearance.

Asked if he wished to stay longer, Howard said: “Unfortunately, that is not my choice. I have a loan deal which ends on February 12 and the province have asked I come back for that so that I can resume for Super Rugby games with them so it is really up to the powers that be to discuss that and decide what they want from me such as contracts and all the rest.”

The loan period has at least allowed Howard to spend time with his father, a consultant at Letterkenny Hospital, as well as giving him a new rugby experience, not least playing through the Christmas period.

“I have not stopped training and playing since about January. So it is great for me, I am young and I can handle it and just keep on going and playing as much as I can. I’m visiting my dad. I drove up on Wednesday to go see him and then back down again and it felt strange. He works as a doctor there for the past seven years. It is a bit strange and I’m sure it will be a bit strange when we play Connacht as well on New Year’s Day but for me it is more than worth it to experience this and gain as much knowledge as I can.

“For me it’s been about building things and gaining experience and there’s no better place than at Munster. I’ve great players around me.”