“It’s the first time since I retired from playing that I wish I was playing.” Munster coach Laura Guest excited Barbarians’ tie.

It was only a few months back when Munster named Laura guest as their head coach for the upcoming 2017/18 season. Now the former Munster and Ireland player is preparing her side for an historic fixture against an inaugural women’s Barbarians side which includes some familiar faces with seven Irish included.

Speaking to Sporting Limerick, Guest admits it’s the firs time since she has hung up her boots that she wishes she was playing.

“To be honest I’m very excited I can’t wait really. It’s the first time since I retired from playing that I wish I was playing. I think any time any player growing up, gets to represent Munster, thats a huge honour.”

The games will kick off at 4:45pm at Thomond Park in advance of the Tonga v Barbarians clash later in the evening. The travelling side’s 23 has a combined total of 1019 caps to their names, with the likes of modern Irish greats Fiona Coghlan, Ailis Egan and Nora Stapleton in their ranks.

“I mean you look at the barbarians side and as you said there’s quality throughout that side, you look at our side there’s a lot of girls there who’ve tasted a lot of victory last year with UL Bohs but it’s just a massive festival of rugby tomorrow afternoon in Thomond Park it certainly will be a cracker of a game as far as I can see and I hope it lives up to it, really and truly I do.”

You can hear the interview in full on the link below.

The home side have named two different XV’s to play tomorrow night, one in the first half and the other in the second, as many of Guest’s side will have club commitments on Sunday in the AIL.

Guest acknowledges that Giselle Mather has named a talent laden Barbarians that will offer a serious test of the Munster XV and will act as a perfect preparation for the upcoming interprovincial series.

“It’s a great opportunity to play a team that we’ll be unfamiliar with. Its a great opportunity to play a team littered with quality players.

“If you were to look for an interpro friendly you’d probably look for a club side or an interpro side so this is a massive opportunity for us to see how we’re going ahead of the interpro’s and gives us enough time to fix things that won’t necessarily be right but but it also gives me a great opportunity to look at my entire squad and to see different combinations and how they might work.”

Munster V Barbarians women kick off at 4:45pm.