Munster Rugby coach Graham Rowntree 'proper jealous' ahead of South Africa XV clash

MUNSTER Rugby head coach Graham Rowntree said he was proper jealous of the province's players who will get to run out against a South African Select XV in a glamour friendly fixture at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Thursday night, 7.30pm.

Rowntree said he loved the opportunity to face touring sides during his time playing with Leicester Tigers.

A sell-out crowd of 41,400 will descend on the Cork GAA venue for the fixture.

Graham Rowntree said of the fixture which will be shown live on Virgin Media Two TV: "It’s something different. A different feel to the week. I’m sure when we get down there the excitement will be through the roof, different atmosphere, different stadium, you know, how good for these young men, predominantly young men how good.

"I’m proper jealous of it, to be honest with you, playing such a game.

"There’s been a few of them (fixtures with touring sides) hasn’t there, Australia, Maoris, All-Blacks of course. It’s a special moment for the club.

“I said to the lads on Monday morning, this club is known for special moments and special games like this and we should cherish every hour of this week going into a such a big game."

The Munster Rugby players will be running out for the first time at Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the pre-game warm-up tomorrow night as the side will not do a captain's run at the venue in advance of the fixture.

"No, we won’t train there until we actually play there. I want it to be a special moment,” Rowntree said.

"The lads are going to feel it right from the warm-up.

"Obviously our kickers will go earlier and do their kicking, the change of lights and there’s obviously a different feel, dimension to it.

"The rest of the guys, they’ll see it in the warm-up, unless they’ve been there before watching GAA but I’m pretty sure they’ve not been in the middle of a rugby pitch in that stadium."