Interim Ireland coach Michael Bradley has joined Brian O'Driscoll in praising Munster's match-winning rugby and rejected criticism of their style of play in the 16-13 Heineken European Cup final win over Toulouse in Cardiff.

Bradley will be without a considerable Munster contingent for tonight's match against the Barbarians at Kingsholm, but they will join up with the squad this week ahead of June's southern hemisphere Tour when they will face New Zealand and Australia.

The Connacht coach will be in charge for both of those games before Munster boss Declan Kidney succeeds Eddie O'Sullivan.

O'Driscoll yesterday admitted being 'envious' of the Munster players who won their second final in three years at the weekend.  Bradley added the campaign was about nine matches, not one.

"Munster are European Champions in a competition that is nine matches long," said the former Ireland scrumhalf. "They played plenty of good rugby over the nine games, but their objective last weekend was to win the game, and I can see that style working at international level in order to close a game out.

"They came through an extremely hard group where all four teams could have graced the semi-finals of the competition.

"They have given a huge amount to Irish rugby, and that is what we must remember."

O'Driscoll leads an Irish XV tonight drawn largely from Leinster and Ulster, with most interest surrounding his new centre partnership alongside the highly-rated Luke Fitzgerald.

Bradley also has the experience of Leinster wing Shane Horgan and lock Malcolm O'Kelly at his disposal.

Australian centre Morgan Turinui leads the Barbarians, with former Wallabies outhalf Stephen Larkham wearing the number 10 shirt and Gloucester's England wing Lesley Vainikolo also starting.