Victories are generally underpinned by attitude and preparation as much as talent and in this respect Munster are pretty close to the market leaders in Europe. Any satisfaction following last Sunday's win over Cardiff has been replaced by a desire to prepare just as diligently for the reverse fixture at Thomond Park on Saturday.

There is a view that the Welsh side will become another notch on the bedpost of Munster rugby folklore simply because Munster won in Cardiff. It's one to which the players and management of the Irish province don't subscribe.

In truth Munster coach Declan Kidney is more likely to remind his players that Cardiff have already beaten a Munster team in the European Cup, albeit at Musgrave Park. He won't dwell on that statistic but his charges will be aware of it.

Kidney admitted: "There are no guarantees. It was very important to get that win under our belt because we know how tight the pool is going to be. Cardiff will be looking for a scalp and will be as determined as they were before the first match.

"We were lucky in that all our kicks went over and a few of theirs didn't and the fact that a few bounces of the ball went our way. Those little things make a big difference. We have to up our performance level so we're not in that precarious position on Saturday."

John Kelly and Barry Murphy, both of whom missed Sunday's game through injury, should be available for selection, while Anthony Horgan has not been in a position to take to the pitch this week because of an achilles tendon problem. The team is likely to be confirmed tomorrow at lunchtime.

MUNSTER (squad v Cardiff):S Payne, C Cullen, D Matteus, I Dowling, J Kelly, L Mafi, B Murphy, T Halstead, T O'Leary, R O'Gara, J Manning, P Stringer, B O'Meara, F Pucciariello, D Hurley, F Sheahan, A Kyriacou, J Hayes, F Roche, T Buckley, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, C Wyatt, J O'Sullivan, T McGann, A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.