Munster crank up the gears for Glasgow grudge game as Nankivell prepares for return to centre stage

“He’s trained well, we’ll finalise that later in the week, which is generally what I do anyway, announce the team as late as possible, but he’s trained well,” said Rowntree.

“It was a quick turnaround that, credit to our medical team. He did it three and a bit weeks ago, Edinburgh away, it didn’t look good at the time. There was talks of surgery but he’s done phenomenally well. We’ll make that decision later in the week but he has trained well today.”

Rowntree appreciates that the Kiwi can also bring a gnarly edge to proceedings as his defending champions prepare for a grudge game against a side with whom they have developed a formidable rivalry in recent years.

“I hope so. He’s certainly done that well this year. Yeah, they’ve got a very destructive centre partnership haven’t they? We found that last year,” he says referencing the ‘Huwipulotu’ midfield duo, Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones.

“We’re really pleased with how Alex has settled within the club, on and off the field. He’s good around the group, he’s a good character in the group. He’s aggressive, really aggressive both sides of the ball. You know he’s on the field, he brings a real good energy.

“Sometimes he can speak too much, have to rein him in a bit, gets a bit too energetic with officials and what have you but he’s been a really popular signing. ‘Cranks’. Cranky, gets a bit cranky.

“He has trained but we’ll determine that final selection on Thursday."