THE great dual adventure involving the best club sides in Europe, supplemented by the Irish provinces and Scottish districts, gets under way today. The European Cup and newly formed Conference will run in tandem and there is, of course, Irish involvement in both.

It is one home and two away this weekend for the Irish provinces in the European Cup.

Munster, the newly crowned Interprovincial champions, are at home to Italian representatives Milan at Musgrave Park today. Leinster make the journey to Llanelli today Stadey Park has over the years been a familiar territory for Leinster.

Ulster will be in action tomorrow and meet old opponents with a new title, Caledonia, in the very unfamiliar location of the St Johnstone soccer ground in Perth. Caledonia are better known as Scottish North and under that title participated some years ago in the short lived Irish provinces/Scottish Districts series.

In the Conference, Connacht will also have Italian visitors in Padova at the Sports Ground this afternoon. This is the initial European competitive experience for both sides, neither of whom played in the inaugural cup tournament last season.

The return of some exiles will certainly strengthen the Munster Leinster and Ulster teams and they will need all their resources to deal with the challenge embraced in the cup competition. Yet all three will harbour realistic ambitions that they can get their campaigns off to a winning start.

Munster, a team with six changes from the side which defeated Ulster last week, have got two exiles, wing Richard Wallace and second row Gabriel Fulcher, in their side. They have very significantly turned to experience in the recall to the front row of two former international props, John Fitzgerald and Paul McCarthy. They fill the open side flank berth in the enforced absence of Eddie Halvey by recalling Liam Toland.

They now have a pack that includes seven internationals, with Toland, an A cap, the odd man bout. They have also moved international Sean McCahill into the centre, a berth in which he will be more comfortable. That switch from the wing is facilitated by the availability of Wallace.

Milan, the Italian champions, had not finalised their team when they arrived in Cork last night. They can call on 15 Italian internationals with a few more in reserve. They had six representatives in the Italian side that played Wales last week. They were outside half and ace kicker Diego Dominguez, the most experienced element of their side, the entire front row of Massimo Cuittita, Carlo Orlandi and Franco Properzi; second row Pier Pedro Pedroni and back row Orazio Arancio.

It should certainly be a keen and physical forward battle and Munster have the resources to win it.

Leinster's depleted pack had a torrid time against Connacht last week but is a much changed unit for the test to come at Stadey Park. Henry Hurley and Paul Wallace come into the prop forward positions, Malcolm O'Kelly and Victor Costello come into the second and back rows respectively and the team captain, Chris Pim, returns at blind side flank.

That Leinster pack is now certainly equipped to win good line out and the scrum looks strong.

The inclusion of Ray McIlreavy in the centre for the injured Martin Ridge brings to the scene one of the best tackling centres in the country.

Llanelli have been badly bit by injuries and will be without internationals Ieuan Evans, Nigel Davies, Wayne Proctor, Mark Perego, Ricky Evans, and Mike Voyle.

Yet despite the loss of those notables, they can still field a team liberally endowed with international talent and in outside half Frano Botica they have a potential match winner. He is partnered by international Rupert Moon, and both centres, Neil Boobyer and Matthew Wintle, are internationals. So too are hooker Robyn McBryde and prop Spencer John.

The Llanelli back five could prove vulnerable and Leinster may gain a decisive advantage in this area. Llanelli include two 19 year olds in second row Vernon Cooper and flanker Hywel Jenkins. Leinster go into this match with a very good chance but must contain Botica and not give him goal kicking opportunities.

Ulster have reasons to fancy their chances of getting off to a winning start against Caledonia, who are badly hit by the absence of the international quintet Rob Wainwright, Stuart Campbell, Kevin Mackenzie, John Mason and Kenny Logan.

This Ulster team looks much stronger and more rounded than the side which represented the province in the Interprovincials. The return of Johns and Davidson to the second row could be especially beneficial, while Humphreys will bring to the outside half berth a depth of skill and experience in a key area. His deputy, Staurt Laing, kicked very well for the province but does not have Humphreys's range of skills. It is unfortunate for Ulster that they have lost centre Mark McCall. However, the return of international Maurice Field to the centre will help compensate for McCall's loss - Field's young partner, Sheldon Coulter, is a fine prospect.

Caledonia will have international Riwan Shephered at full back and another international in flanker David McIvor. They also include several A caps but Ulster, with their exiled trio back to bolster strength and confidence, should emerge from this match with a win prior to facing the extremely difficult task of playing Harlequins in Belfast on Wednesday night.

Connacht's very well deserved win over Leinster last week was the ideal psychological lift before their first match in European competition. The merit of the performance against Leinster and the level of satisfaction with it is indicated by the fact that the side shows just one change. This brings international Nicky Barry into the centre and Barry would have been in the side against Leinster were it not for injury.

Padova - once the most potent combination in Italian rugby and champions 11 times in the 1970s and 1980s, have fallen on leaner times. Yet they have some very experienced players. However, only one of the team played last week for Italy and that was as a replacement. Flanker Roberto Rampazzo came on in the closing stages against Wales. Nor did they have any representative in the Italian World Cup squad.

Mark O'Reilly was yesterday called into the Connacht replacements for Neil Taylor, who is injured.