Dougall eager to experience Thomond Park atmosphere

Munster's summer signing Seán Dougall is excited about experiencing the famous Thomond Park atmosphere when they welcome Heineken Cup rivals Edinburgh to Limerick on Sunday.

Munster's summer signing Seán Dougall is excited about experiencing the famous Thomond Park atmosphere when they welcome Heineken Cup rivals Edinburgh to Limerick on Sunday.

Rob Penney’s side will be hoping to recover from last weekend’s disappointing 22-17 defeat to Racing Metro.

Edinburgh also tasted defeat in their opening European game of the season, going down 45-0 to Saracens in Murrayfield.

Those two results have rendered this weekend’s showdown in Limerick a must-win for both sides if they are to have realistic hopes of progressing past the Pool stages.

Munster overcame the Scottish outfit 18-23 in the opening game of the PRO12 but Dougall knows the bar will be raised when the two sides meet in European competition.

“It’s the Heineken Cup this time, so everything’s so much more intense and teams are just so up for it,” he said.

“Edinburgh had a bit of a loss at the weekend against Saracens and I’m sure they’ll be firing on all cylinders to prove a point.”

The openside flanker crossed for a try in his first Heineken Cup outing in the Stade de France last weekend and while the experience was one to savour he admits the defeat eclipsed the positives he took from the game.

“Running out at Stade de France was brilliant. It’s the biggest stadium I’ve played in and it was incredible with a great atmosphere from all the Munster fans that made it over to it.

“It was nice to get the try but the fact that we lost really just overshadowed that.

“The game wasn’t probably as quick as I thought it was going to be but that was more to do with the weather.

“But at the same time it was very physical and they were a very big pack. The whole occasion was something extra and was just that much bigger than the league."

The loss in Paris came on the back of defeats away from home to the Ospreys and Leinster as Munster struggled with an unforgiving fixture list.

Saturday’s clash represents a great opportunity for the province to get their season back on track but they will have to cope without Ronan O’Gara who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Dougall may face competition for the 7 jersey from Niall Ronan, who is in line to make a return to action this weekend after a groin injury, but the former Rotherham Titans player hopes he will be on the pitch to soak in a famous match day atmosphere.

“For us it will be nice just to be at home again after being on the road for three weeks. So if I get the chance to be involved it would be great, playing in Thomond Park in the Heineken Cup is what you dream of.

“I’ve heard so much about Thomond Park’s match day atmosphere on Heineken Cup day.

“The lads have told me it’s ‘hairs on the back of the neck kind of stuff’, so I’m just hoping I get to experience that this Sunday.

“The whole occasion is just meant to be unbelievable and we just need to focus on the task ahead of us, getting the win."

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