HEINEKEN EUROPEAN CUP NEWS:THE MUNSTER rugby team trained in classic December conditions yesterday afternoon before head coach Tony McGahan released his squad ahead of Sunday's crucial third Heineken Cup pool game against Clermont Auvergne, writes KEITH DUGGAN

The French side gave the Irish side one of their thorniest afternoons in the corresponding fixture last January, when they won a helter-skelter game 26-19, with Munster achieving the significant consolation of a bonus point. That afternoon was fresh on McGahan's mind as he reflected on the forthcoming back-to-back games against Clermont, who have lost to Sale and defeated Montauban in their opening Pool One games. Munster hold a perfect record against the same opponents.

"Yeah. Games three and four are always pivotal moments in the season and last year was like that too," the Munster coach said. "We were able to get away with a point down there playing away from home. Look, it is a game on which things hinge - it could propel us further or it could make Clermont better set up to stay in the competition. We have a good grasp of what they are trying to do. We have a lot of games on them - as they do us. So we can steadily chart their progress through their domestic season in the top 14.

"Obviously, each game is different with the quality of rugby over there and also the two Heineken Cup matches we have come up against the same teams. They did lose last weekend but the top 14 throws up those sort of results. There is a lot of pressure and teams can raise your game. So we can't read too much into that."

Rua Tipoki and Denis Leamy remain on the Munster injured list and neither player is expected to return before Christmas. Jerry Flannery took a limited part in yesterday morning's session and although he left the University of Limerick campus aided by crutches, he has not been ruled out for the return Clermont game.

The hooker will hardly hold fond memories of last year's visit to Clermont, which culminated in his missing Ireland's Six Nations season after he was cited for stamping on international flanker Julien Bonnaire.

Denis Hurley also made a return to training but has not been included in the squad for this weekend match. Munster left it late in securing an away win against Llanelli Scarlets in the Magners League last week. Munster will hope to pitch their tent somewhere between that nervy victory and the sustained aggression and emotion of the famous defeat against the All-Blacks of a fortnight ago.

"The All Blacks game was very different in that it was a celebration and an occasion. And we had 22 players who were able to get themselves way above what some of them have achieved in their short careers," said McGahan.

"Now last weekend against Llanelli, it was four points, it was away from home. We have up to 16 players coming back after a four-week period and trying to amalgamate back into what we are going to be doing. Plus, it was the opening of the stadium for Llanelli. So there are so many particulars involved in each game.

"Every game has its own life. This is the same against Clermont. It is a vital game for us. And Clermont are going to have their own reasons for doing well - least of all to stay in the competition."

The starting 15 will be named on Friday afternoon. The squad departs on Saturday morning.

MUNSTER SQUAD:  M Horan, F Pucciarielli, J Hayes, T Buckley, D Fogarty, F Sheahan, M O'Driscoll, P O'Connell, D O'Callaghan, D Ryan, A Quinlan, D Wallace, J Coughlan, N Ronan, J O'Sullivan, T O'Leary, P Stringer, R O'Gara, P Warwick.