Munster v Ulster:THE INTER-PROVINCIALS still carry plenty of significance for the players but to consider this a huge match in Munster's season is simply not reflected by their team selection. That sort of billing is reserved for the Sale Sharks visit to Thomond Park in a fortnight.
If only Ulster weren't shorn of frontline forwards Carlo del Fava, Rory Best and Ryan Caldwell then the chances of a rare Limerick scalp would be greatly enhanced. It was November 1992 when they last won in Thomond Park and no Irish province has successfully raided the Munster fortress since Leinster's 19-15 win in December 1995.
All considered, with David Wallace, Paul O'Connell (his knee problem is seemingly not too serious), Denis Leamy, Tony Buckley and Marcus Horan absent, and Alan Quinlan on the bench, Ulster will be expected at the very least to break even up front.
Kiwi recruit Nick Williams gets a start at number eight as the former Auckland Blue clearly needs some game time, but it is the form of Donnacha Ryan at blindside flanker that is most interesting. Having now been capped by Ireland, after a succession of outstanding performances, Ryan is on the verge of disrupting the established Munster forward eight, even when Denis Leamy returns later this month.
The same applies to fellow flanker Niall Ronan.
Ian Humphreys is again afforded an opportunity to cement his place at outhalf for Ulster, alongside the impressive midfield pairing of Paddy Wallace and Darren Cave, although they come crashing into two extremely effective adopted sons of Munster.
After injuring himself in a heroic display against New Zealand last November, Rua Tipoki returns alongside Lifeimi Mafi while Ronan O'Gara is charged with leading the team in O'Connell's absence.
Peter Stringer is also retained at scrumhalf with Tomás OLeary left off the 22, along with Ian Dowling and Keith Earls.
The Ulster side shows four changes to the team that lost at home to Leinster last Saturday. Clinton Schifcoske replaces Bryn Cunningham at fullback, Tom Court and Kieron Dawson come in for Justin Fitzpatrick and David Pollock, while captain Rory Best is rested so Nigel Brady starts at hooker and former Irish under-20s captain Stuart Philpott provides cover.
So many changes make it a hard contest to call but Munster should have enough quality. They also seem to have the Indian sign over whatever calibre of opposition comes visiting the Treaty City - even if they are wearing all black. There is also the small matter of atoning for the comprehensive 22-6 loss at Ravenhill back in October; a result that kept the wolves from Matt Williams' door.
"When you play Munster, in particular, people plant too many negative thoughts in players' heads and therefore there are too many reasons not to perform," said the Ulster coach. "I don't buy that. Playing great teams you just got to play great.
"They've set the standard for Irish rugby. It's up to us to match and surpass. When we've played at home we have been able to do that. When we travel I feel we have too many excuses, like mentally when you travel it is okay to lose.
"You have to go everywhere and think you can win. When we're at Ravenhill there is no way we can lose because we don't want to let the people down.
"I think there have been too many soft edges to our mental game. We got to toughen up to win down there."
This attitude is echoed by Kieron Dawson, who captains the team now in place of Best. "At the end of the day we are Ulster and we are going down to do a job against Munster and we have got to believe in ourselves," he said.
"I'm looking forward to playing in a great stadium against a great side, running yourself into the ground and sitting in the changing rooms being able to look each other in the eye afterwards."
It should be noted that Ulster have yet to win on the road this season. Munster may be testing the true depth of particular areas in their squad this evening, but defeat to this opposition at this stage in season, at home no less, seems unlikely.
There are too many uncertainties about Ulster. Their pack may catch fire. Their outhalf may prove himself a viable candidate for a higher level. On that premise the smart money, as ever, remains firmly on a Munster victory.
MUNSTER: D Hurley; D Howlett, R Tipoki, L Mafi, K Lewis; R OGara (capt), P Stringer; F Pucciariello, J Flannery, J Hayes; D OCallaghan, M ODriscoll; D Ryan, N Ronan, N Williams. Replacements: D Fogarty, T Ryan, Coughlan, A Quinlan, M Prendergast, P Warwick, B Murphy.
ULSTER: C Schifcoske; A Trimble, D Cave, P Wallace, T Nagusa; I Humphreys, I Boss; T Court, N Brady, BJ Botha; M McCullough, E ODonoghue; S Ferris, K Dawson (capt), R Diack. Replacements: S Philpott, J Fitzpatrick, F Paulo, D Pollock, P Marshall, P Steinmetz, B Cunningham.
Referee: A Lewis (IRFU).
Corresponding fixture last season: Musgrave park, March 2008 - Munster 42 Ulster 6.
Verdict: Munster to win.
Glasgow bounced back to grab revenge over their oldest rivals with a vastly-improved display in their Magners League clash at Firhill against Edinburgh, which ended 25-20 yesterday.
However, the result was not enough to prevent Edinburgh lifting the David Lloyd 1872 Cup after their score in the St Stephan's Day match.
Glasgow managed just one first-half try from Graeme Morrison, with the bulk of their points from Dan Parks kicks. Phil Godman's kicking supplemented Geoff Cross and Ben Cairns tries in either half for Edinburgh, and Cairns helped them to a losing bonus point, touching down in the dying moments, but Glasgow had done enough to move up the Magners League ladder.
