"They were always big games" he told journalists in UL during the week. " I remember going to watch them when my brothers were playing. They were always typical derby games. No quarter asked for or given. Not much has changed really." he believes.

"Well maybe the amount of support and hype around it has, but on the pitch, not a lot has changed."

Reminded that Leinster have won the last three encounters he's asked if that acts as an incentive. " Getting to a final, that's an incentive. Look, there's no escaping the past results. But our focus has to be on our jobs as players, being professional. And thats the way we're going to approach it. These derby games are always competitive, always hard fought and this one isn't going to be any different."

"Theres a prize of a final place for the winning team at the end of it and that motivates teams even more so. Of course its going to be a big day. Yes we want to get to a final and we have to win to do that. So thats a huge incentive for us."

The challenge that Munster and indeed Leinster faced in recent weeks was picking themselves up after the disappointment in Europe? "Theres no denying it's difficult when you lose in the latter stages of  a competition like the Heineken Cup. And mentally it definitely takes its toll." he admits.

"For me, fortunately maybe,  it was the 24 hours after that game that was the hardest and then for some strange reason I wanted to get back out there and play again. Maybe try right some wrongs from the week before. Couldn't wait to get back out and play (against Cardiff)."

"You just have to re-focus. Set your sights on whats achievable and forget what 's gone in the past because at that stage it doesn't matter. We had a focus of getting through to a final and we achieved that."

"Last week, although it was disappointing to lose, it felt like a bit of a victory. Because obviously we'd qualified for a semi-final so thats why it felt that way. Just the way the game went for ourselves, our attitude and the intensity we brought, made it feel like a bit of a bounce back."

"Now though," he concludes, "we have to re-focus. Now there's a final to get to. What's gone before, doesn't matter. It's all about 80+ minutes on Saturday night."