Munster's chance for Christmas cheer at Thomond Park

When a Leinster team minus at least nine front line players turns up at a sold-out Thomond Park for a top of the table Guinness PRO12 encounter against full-strength Munster, there really should be only one outcome — a convincing victory for the home side.

That may well the case when Welsh referee Nigel Owens blows the final whistle shortly before 7.30 this evening, but the Munster fans in the record 26,200 attendance will, no doubt, have endured many nervous moments earlier in the day.

The last thing the Red Army want to see is their team going down to a fourth successive loss to arch their rivals who travel without Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Josh Van Der Flier, Gary Ringrose, Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin and Devin Toner along with the injured Johnny Sexton and Rob Kearney.