DENIS HURLEY INTERVIEW:WITH THE week that's in it, the question was bound to be posed to Denis Hurley. Born down in Ballineen, west Cork, the son of 1978 All Black-conquering Munster squad member Gerry, Hurley was reared in Kells, Co Meath, after a stint in America – all due to his father's work.

So, that ensured some loyalty to Leinster growing up?

The bait is thrown into the water but Hurley doesn’t like the smell of it, swimming around it without the slightest hint of humour in his reply.

“I was never a blue supporter now, I’m afraid not. I was always red. We lived in Meath but we would have taken a lot of trips down south to watch matches. I don’t think we ever went to Dublin to watch a Leinster match unless Munster were playing really. I would always, through my father, have been a proud support of Munster.”

Growing up deep in GAA country – although Gerry had him down in Navan RFC as a five-year-old along with elder brother Patrick – surely he was enticed by Seán Boylan’s ruthless band of brothers?

“Nah, it was Cork I’m afraid.”

Around 1990 that was a brave stance to take in the Royal County.

It helped that Hurley is a big man, just like the other Meath-raised winger expected out at the RDS this Saturday. Hurley’s last visit to Dublin was in October when he went toe to toe with Shane Horgan.

Both men relished the challenge of thundering into a similar sized specimen. In fact, Hurley is two inches shorter and over a stone lighter. The 65-times capped Horgan, to Hurley’s single outing last summer against the USA, got the better of him on a night when no Munster man came out with much credit. The 30-0 defeat is still hard to explain.

“He is a good player. I suppose he is one of those few wingers that you come up against that is actually bigger than me. I’m not really used to that. It’s also enjoyable playing against a player like that. It is a little bit easier. He is not as nimble and agile as some of the other (wingers). It is a little bit brute force between the two of us. We have our own bit of a battle.”

That suited him just fine having carved out a new identity this season, powering down the touchline. Keith Earls and then Paul Warwick saw him shooed from fullback despite the Heineken Cup medal earned there in 2006.

There are shades of John O’Neill, another massive Munster winger, but Hurley looks an updated version considering the building blocks were as a outhalf with Navan while St Munchin’s turned him into a centre when he went there to repeat his Leaving Certificate. UCC came next but he really earned his stripes as a fullback with Cork Constitution before Declan Kidney moved him up a grade. Now he is Munster’s riposte to those massive French wingers Julien Malzieu and Aurélien Rougerie.

Leinster’s 16-15 victory at Thomond Park on April 2nd appeared to confirm the switch in dominance between the provinces but that can be reversed in an instant. Just like the 2009 European semi-final erased all memories of Munster’s regular season victories over their keenest rivals, a win on Saturday will carry more resonance.

“We know what they bring. I know how hard it is to suffer those defeats up there. This weekend we have to go in with that positive frame of mind that we have every chance to display what we can do on the rugby field. Hopefully that will bring a win and a trip to a final.”

The family home is still up in Kells but, just to be clear, he is no Meath man and certainly holds no ties to Leinster.

“I have been in Cork about six years hence the Cork accent.”