The Ireland and Leinster captain Brian O'Driscoll last night defended the Heineken Cup winners Munster against a volley of criticism that they were a dull and predictable side who were a bad advertisement for the game following their victory over Toulouse.

It was Munster's second success in the tournament and O'Driscoll, who will partner the 20-year-old Luke Fitzgerald in the centre tonight when Ireland take on the Barbarians at Kingsholm, admitted he was envious of their record in Europe. Leinster have yet to reach a Heineken Cup final.

The Toulouse outside-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde described Munster as an ugly team, but O'Driscoll retorted: "I think it is a bit harsh to criticise Munster's style of play. They were in a final and how you play makes no odds because it is all about winning. The Heineken Cup is notorious for producing poor finals, but Munster ground it out and showed they were a thinking side. They recycled the ball and killed the clock, and I applaud them for it. It typifies the sort of side they are. They are a thinking side.

"To be honest, I am very envious of them and make no secret of that. They have been in four finals and you have to give them full credit for that. The position they are in is something we all have to strive for and I want to achieve. There are not many players with two Heineken Cup-winners' medals and we should all be striving to emulate them. When the Munster players join the Ireland squad, they will bring an infectious buzz."

Kingsholm, the scene of the Heineken Cup holders' quarter-final success, will be a Munster-free zone tonight as the province's players are given time off. The Ireland side is made up of Leinster and Ulster players, apart from two tight-five forwards from the Guinness Premiership, the Harlequins' prop Mike Ross and the London Irish second-row Bob Casey.

"It is an important game for the players ahead of the tour to New Zealand," said the caretaker Ireland coach, Michael Bradley. "We can get an awful lot out of the game and we are up against a talented side."

The Australia centre Morgan Turinui leads the invitation club, whose side is made up of players from eight countries with the former New Zealand flanker Jerry Collins hoping for a place on the bench.