Andrew Goodman says there's an "edge" to Leinster ahead of their first meeting with Munster since the URC semi-final at the Aviva Stadium in May.

It's been over six months since Jack Crowley's late drop goal saw the Reds book their final place, with Munster going on to win the URC crown in Cape Town.

The Blues trained in front of an audience of young students from Kilkenny College yesterday but still got down to business on the field.

READ MORE: "It’s always a massive game" Leinster's Caelan Doris looks ahead to Munster clash

Goodman, now guiding Leinster's attack play with Stuart Lancaster in France, says the players are out to make amends on Lansdowne Road.

"We're only on day one but there's a definite edge to today, probably more so than there has been," he said.

"Leinster-Munster doesn’t need more than that, but yeah, there's still hurt from the end of last year. It’s about making sure we channel that in the right way.

“It’s about this year and the journey and winning week to week. It’s an exciting block coming up that we've got, up until December 26th when we play them again.

“We've got three interpros and two European games, so that’s pretty exciting in itself.”

Goodman has personal experience of the rivalry as, with his parents over for the April 2013 clash at Thomond Park, the Kiwi came off the bench just five minutes in.

“We had Gordon D’Arcy and (Brian) O’Driscoll starting, so not a bad midfield! But Darce went down after about five minutes, so I got a good chunk of that game," he recalled.

“It was one of those ones where you're not ready, you’re just sitting back watching and then ‘F**k’, here we go'! Drico actually scored in the last couple of minutes to win it.

“It was amazing, a sell out, loud. I'd actually been there before - as a supporter I watched the All Blacks play there in 2008, so I kind of knew what it was going to be like. But to play there was really cool.

“It was one of the better experiences I had as a player. We actually stayed down the night afterwards, it was cool to feel the buzz, had a couple of beers and enjoyed the night."

Leinster will have almost a full complement available, with Jack Conan and Robbie Henshaw the last of the province's Ireland players set to return.

Goodman pinpoints Munster's defence as having improved massively in the last 12 months, crediting ex-Leinster coach Denis Leamy in that regard.

And, of course, the Reds come to Dublin as the defending champions.

Goodman smiled: “Oh, it always helps when you’ve got the trophy in the cabinet, doesn’t it? Yeah, it's that belief.

"It was an amazing run for them from where they were in the middle of the season to have to play away in the play-off games and come up with some big wins, to travel away to South Africa and win. Fair credit to them.

“It’s exciting for us because it is our first interpro of the year and because we're playing Munster at the Aviva, a ground that they beat us in last time. So there's no shortage of motivation.

"They will be in exactly the same position.”

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