Munster ready to rumble
Galthie and Galwey have locked horns at European Cup and international level in the past and had a rare opportunity to catch up for a few minutes yesterday to discuss tonight's Heineken Cup clash (5 pm) between Bourgoin and Munster.
Galthie was the inquisitor, Galwey the so-called informant.
"I think Munster will have to be very good to beat Bourgoin tomorrow, but they are a very good side and are capable of doing so," Galthie said.
Galwey, in his advisory capacity to Munster, refused to give newly appointed TV commentator Galthie any more than the appearance, weight and height of the Munster players and a sense that the men in red might well exact revenge for that galling defeat in Melbourne a few short weeks ago.
"I told him that Irish rugby is still alive and well. I told him to expect a backlash from the Munster guys involved in the World Cup."
Meanwhile Saint-Andre was busy pointing out that Bourgoin have been badly hit by injury for this afternoon's game. But if the ex-Gloucester coach has one eye on next week's fixture with his old club, he has no intention of shifting his focus yet.
"I look forward to my return to England. It will be very interesting and I have some great friends there.
"But the first thing on my mind is to prepare for Munster who have been such a force in Europe."
Saint-Andre has been to the forefront of French rugby for almost 20 years as a player and coach and is now back where he wants to be.
"I never played for this club but spent a lot of my life just a short distance from here. It's a small club but a great one, a club with tremendous spirit and passion and I am proud to have been involved for period of over 18 months when we have not lost a home fixture."
Munster coach Alan Gaffney will place his faith in the pack to re-produce the form displayed in last week's Celtic League victory over Cardiff.
"That was pretty awesome from the pack and we concentrated a lot on forward moves because that's where we see the match against Bourgoin being won or lost.
"They have a formidable pack and they're not the type of side that slings the ball around, although I'm not saying they're not capable of spreading it."
According to Gaffney, the key to success is Munster's ability to change the game plan.
"Last week I was happy that the guys recognised the way to beat Cardiff was to take them on up front and it worked.
"Our aim this season has been to play an expansive but in a sensible manner."
It's a big day for David Wallace. The flanker returns to the Munster team for his first Heineken Cup game since the defeat to Leicester in the 2002 final.
Wallace was sidelined with injury for last year's campaign and is delighted to finally have an injury free run.
"It was very frustrating last season but hopefully the bad times are behind me. I'm feeling fresh and feeling pretty good in myself," he said.
He is feeling pretty good about Munster, as well.
"We've done it before and there is no reason why we can't do it again. It's going to be a very physical game but we're prepared for that. We've faced tough challenges before and we know that, on our day, we are capable of rising to them."
BOURGOIN: A. Peclier, G. Esterhauzen, G. Davies, F. Fritz, J.F. Coux, B. Boyet, S. Bonnet: P. Peyron, B. Berbato, W. Bonet, P. Pape, G. Orsini, A. Bias, P. Raschi, S. Chabal.
MUNSTER: J. Staunton, J. Kelly, M. Mullins, J. Holland, S. Payne, R. O'Gara, P. Stringer; M. Horan, F. Sheahan, J. Hayes, P. O'Connell, D. O'Callaghan, J. Williams, A. Foley, D. Wallace.
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