Elvis is in the building - or more precisely, Musgrave Park - and he's likely to be singing a different tune from the last time he piped up when the two sides met in that acrimonious Heineken European Cup encounter at the Gnoll in October.
Tonight Ospreys wing Elvis Seveali'i will want to offer something more substantive than playing the race card. The allegations he made against Marcus Horan were emphatically thrown out by ERC, but the tournament's governing body should have addressed the issue further with the Samoan.
Instead, he wasn't even admonished.
Horan will be keen to put the last meeting between these sides behind him, as he also received six stitches in a head wound that got the Ospreys' Richard Mustoe a 12-week ban.
If that wasn't enough baggage, then there is the fact that tonight's combatants are the number one and two sides respectively in the Celtic League table, and that they will meet again in early January at Thomond Park, this time in the European Cup.
It has all the bite of a derby rivalry, and despite the public utterances of the respective coaches Lyn Jones (Ospreys) and Alan Gaffney (Munster), which were measured and conciliatory, both will be keen to rack up a couple of victories.
Jones' Ospreys side arrives at Musgrave Park with five changes from the side that hammered Harlequins last time out. Right wing Stefan Terblanche - he is replaced by Seveali'i - missed out through injury, while it is a case of all change in the front row. The coach is pleased with his side's form that has seen them win three of their last four games in all competitions.
"Spirits are high in the camp after a great victory against Harlequins last weekend," he said. "Most noticeable was the magnificent support of the Ospreys fans who travelled up to The Stoop. In respect of this fixture, we are looking forward to a match where both teams know each other very well.
"It was a titanic struggle in the Heineken Cup game at The Gnoll and it will be interesting to see how much we have learned from that encounter. It was a match of great intensity from two teams on top of their game. The form of the sides is reflected by the fact that we will witness a first against second-placed fixture.
"Munster had a magnificent win against Castres last weekend, with another huge effort from their forwards securing the result. We will have to work hard up front to gain parity in order to allow our exciting backs to play."
Jones has captured the essence of this game in a sentence: the Ospreys have the backs, but can the pack stand up to their Munster counterparts? The Welsh side will be facilitated in their quest by the fact that Gaffney has rested John Hayes, Paul O'Connell and Anthony Foley, which allows Gordon McIlwham and Tom Bowman much-needed game time. With the traditional spine of the pack removed, the onus will be on Horan, Frankie Sheahan, Donncha O'Callaghan and Alan Quinlan to take up the mantle.
In contrast, the Ospreys - they play some wonderfully entertaining rugby - will be looking to Welsh international Gavin Henson and Shane Williams to conjure something out of the ordinary behind the scrum. Henson has always been long on ability but until this season lacked the consistency of performance.
That is the case no longer, as he proved in both the November internationals and for his club. He is the Celtic League's top points scorer and if he can maintain this form through all levels of competition in the New Year will be a strong contender for the Lions tour to New Zealand next summer.
The Ospreys have changed their front row, and that includes a debut for hooker Richard Hibbard because of an injury to Barry Williams and Welsh hooker Mefin Davies' decision to leave the club.
Munster make just one alteration to the backline from the Castres game with Paul Devlin given a run on the left wing in place of Anthony Horgan. The Irish province also confirmed a new captain in the absence of Foley in Ronan O'Gara: they're obviously looking to take out the middleman in terms of place-kicking decisions.
Munster are unbeaten in their last seven games in this competition and undefeated at home this season. They should be a little too strong and lay down a marker for January's third instalment.
MUNSTER: C Cullen; S Payne, M Mullins, R Henderson, P Devlin; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, G McIlwham; D O'Callaghan, T Bowman; A Quinlan, J Williams, D Leamy. Replacements: J Flannery, F Roche, T Hogan, S Keogh, E Reddan, P Burke, J Storey.
NEATH/SWANSEA OSPREYS: A Durston; E Seveali'i, S Parker, G Henson, S William; M Jones, J Spice; P James, R Hibbard, A Jones; A Newman, J Thomas; J Bater, R Jones, S Tandy. Replacements: tbc.
Referee: Iain Ramage (SRU).
Previous meetings: September 2003 (CL) at St Helen's: The Ospreys 33 Munster 26. February 2004 (CL) at Musgrave Park: Munster 15 The Ospreys 18. September 2004 (CL) at St Helen's: The Ospreys 34 Munster 17. October 2004 (EC) at The Gnoll: The Ospreys 18 Munster 20.
Leading points scorers: Munster - Paul Burke 86. Ospreys - Gavin Henson 97.
Leading try scorers: Munster - Christian Cullen 8. Ospreys - Dave Bishop 4.
Verdict: Munster.
