The rain-swept grounds at the University of Limerick were far from what Heineken European Cup-bound Munster and Declan Kidney are expecting this weekend in France when they meet Clermont Auvergne. Paul O'Connell couldn't be seen. John Hayes was absent.
A touch of a cold had sent the Irish prop packing for the afternoon's deluge while continuing repair work on the Irish secondrow's back confined O'Connell to the physio's table. In tandem, Anthony Horgan was kept on the sideline with a troublesome hamstring, while frontrow Federico Pucciariello was also a cause of some anxiety with a groin problem.
As usual Kidney was equanimity personified as he announced his 26-man-squad, Hayes, Horgan, Pucciariello and O'Connell dutifully included along with the as yet uncapped for Munster All Black winger Doug Howlett and the fit-again Alan Quinlan.
While Kidney would not be drawn on either Howlett's likelihood of playing or the state of O'Connell's injury, it seems likely both players will feature on match day.
Kidney remained non-committal in relation to both players.
"It would be wrong of me to give a percentage (on O'Connell playing)," said Kidney. "He did exceptionally well to do what he did last week (played in the AIL).
"But we've gone that route and we will take it day by day. If he is not right, we are in a position where we have Mick (O'Driscoll) and the two Donnchas (O'Callaghan and Ryan). We won't put him in any danger."
On Howlett there was more of a hint. "Over the last six or seven years we've learned to leave the week and see what unfolds. I'm looking forward to seeing him (Howlett) play," he said. "Obviously someone has to lose out for him. The fact Ian's (Dowling) injury leaves that open . . . again Anthony (Horgan) and Brian Carney were to start against Ulster."
Leinster coach Michael Cheika was asked last week if he would have played Howlett against Ulster in the Friday night match at Ravenhill that was eventually postponed - "Straight in mate," was his reply.
With Howlett playing the practice session on the left with Carney on the right, Kidney may have offered a glimpse of his hand. Howlett has been capped on the left and right wing for New Zealand as well as at fullback, so may be better able to slot straight in. He would probably have two Kiwis inside him in Rua Tipoki and Lifeimi Mafi.
Kidney also suggested the make-up of the team cannot be centred around Clermont as the side the French club sent to Ireland for the first game will be a completely different unit to the one they meet in France. It was practically the club's second-string team that arrived in Munster. Kidney knows the likely names of the star-studded Clermont side, but he is essentially facing a team that Munster will not have played before.
"We'd similar circumstances with Bourgoin, where we played them at home and then away," said the coach. "They (Clermont) have shown great strength over the last few games. Considering the first match . . . the amount of turnover balls we got in the lineouts and the scrums, that won't happen again. Most teams know one another at this stage. While they have not been to the forefront of the Heineken Cup, they have been building for a few years. They are in the hunger stakes now and second in the French league."
For those players who will start the match such as Ronan O'Gara the pressure is no greater or less than ever. The years at outhalf have made him as unflappable as the coach. Performing without the leadership of O'Connell has, for O'Gara, already been conquered by the team.
"You look at someone like O'Connell or Ruby Walsh," said the outhalf. "He wasn't missed over Christmas by Paul Nicholls's stable. There are exceptional players who are not even in the 26-man squad."
MUNSTER (squad v Clermont): S Payne, B Carney, C Lewis, R Tipoki, L Mafi, A Horgan, D Howlett, T O'Leary, P Stringer, R O'Gara, P Warwick; M Horan, F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, J Flannery, J Hayes, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, D Ryan, D Leamy, D Wallace, N Ronan, A Quinlan, A Foley.
