Payback time for Munster

A MUNSTER team hell bent on making amends for one of their worst performances in the last ten years can be expected to retain their position as Celtic League leaders after this afternoon’s (3.30, Setanta Sports) clash with Glasgow Warriors at Thomond Park.

It was at Hughendon on September 17 that Munster were hammered 32-10 by the Warriors. No Munster team likes having such a mark on its record and with coach Declan Kidney in a position to field a strong side, they have an awful lot going for them in the return fixture. Over the intervening months, Munster have put that shocking performance behind them in soaring to the top of the Celtic League and have opened up an 18 point gap on the Scots.

Out of contention for the league and the Heineken Cup, Glasgow will be free to play an expansive game, but Kidney will be forewarned by the fact that Glasgow put 50 points (albeit with 35 against) on Bourgoin in one of their European meetings. Other than that, though, they have struggled.

Munster have been successful in seven of their last eight outings, the exception being the 25-35 reverse against Leinster at the RDS on New Year’s Eve. Furthermore, they have lost only one of their last 25 home games and are confidently expected to extend that formidable record. True, they are short seven players because of international commitments and two or three more through injury but with the exception of the out-half berth, Kidney must have been pleasantly surprised at the talent still available.

With Ronan O’Gara under orders for Ireland and Paul Burke nursing his way back to fitness after a knee operation, he is forced to user Mossie Lawler’s versatile talents once again at out-half, where he did so well when pressed into service in the recent clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons. However, with Tomas O’Leary set to stand in for Peter Stringer at scrum-half and Anthony Horgan back on the wing in place of the injured Ian Dowling, there is a reasonably familiar look to the Munster back line.

Up front, Mick O’Driscoll returns from captaining the Ireland A side and his second-row partner is Donncha O’Callaghan, who has been released by the Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan. And with Anthony Foley leading the side from number eight and champing at the bit after being passed over by Ireland, the Munster back five will carry some power!

The front-row is a little short on experience even though Federico Pucciarello has passed a fitness test and lines out on the tight head. But these are also the kind of fixtures that will help the likes of Frankie Roche and Denis Fogarty to cope with the bigger tasks ahead.

Interestingly Marcus Horan, who missed the French game because of illness, is included among the replacements.

MUNSTER: S. Payne; J. Kelly, B. Murphy, T. Halstead, A. Horgan; M. Lawler, T. O’Leary; F. Roche, D. Fogarty, F. Pucciarello, D. O’Callaghan, M. O’Driscoll, S. Keogh, J. O’Connor, A. Foley capt.

Replacements: T. Buckley, M. Horan, T. Hogan, J. O’Sullivan; M. Prendergast, B. Keeeshan, G. Connolly.

GLASGOW WARRIORS: R. Lamont; H. O’Hare, G. Morrison, S. Davey, M. Roberts; C. Gregor, S. Pinder; K. Tkachuk, F. Thomson, E. Murray, D. Turner, C. Hamilton, S. Swindall, J. Petrie capt, G. Hayter.

Replacements: L. Harrison, S. Lawson, J. Eddie, S. Corsar; I. Monaghan, I. Kennedy, G. Staniforth.