Injuries permitting, Munster will field an unchanged side for the first time since mid-August when they face Leinster in tomorrow's eagerly anticipated winner takes all Inter-provincial climax at Donnybrook.
The last time Munster retained the same XV was for their opening inter-provincial against Connacht which followed the friendly away win over Llanelli. Since then, a combination of injuries, loss of form and the whims of the Munster brains trust has seen them use 35 players in 10 games.
However, as befits an improving side there has been a far more settled side of late, with the pack remaining unchanged tomorrow night for the fifth game running.
Alas, the shoulder injury which forced Anthony Horgan's withdrawal at half-time in last Saturday's 18-18 draw with Neath may yet prevent Munster from fielding an unchanged side, which is ironic given only the left-winger and Anthony Foley have been ever present this season.
Should Horgan be declared unfit, then presumably this would mean a recall for the prolific Shannon finisher John Lacey, Munster's leading try scorer last season and this campaign, with three tries from four starts in the inter-provincial series.
While Declan Kidney's preference for the more dependable and defensively sounder attributes of John Kelly and Horgan is understandable, it's interesting to compare their Munster strike rates of two tries in 10 games (Kelly) and three tries in 16 games (Horgan), with that of Lacey - 10 tries in 11 games.
For his part, Leinster coach Mike Ruddock awaits further medical updates on injuries to Martin Ridge, Gabriel Fulcher, Victor Costello, Trevor Brennan and Pat Holden before finalising his side, possibly at some point today.
"It's looking a lot better than it was earlier in the week," admitted Ruddock last night, who accepts this is the most important game of the season for both sides.
Each of them knows that victory will secure the inter-provincial title and a guaranteed place in the European Cup next season, whereas the loser runs the risk of being edged out of second place by the winner of the Ulster-Connacht match in Ravenhill.
The customary Donnybrook kick-off has been put back by half-an-hour to 7.00 so that the two games begin simultaneously, though the Leinster Branch are advising supporters to arrive early as a 7,000-plus sell-out crowd is expected.
The now traditional Donnybrook pre-match entertainment of jazz band and beer tent at the Old Wesley end will be supplemented by the FM104 road-hog at the Bective end.
Munster (v Leinster): B Roche; J Kelly, K Keane, R Ellison, A Horgan; B Everitt, P Stringer; P Clohessy, M McDermott, J Hayes, M Galwey (capt), M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan, A Foley, E Halvey. Replacements (from) - D Clohessy, I Murray, S Leahy, M Lynch, D Corkery, D Wallace, T Tierney, F Sheehan, S Johnson, Cian Mahoney, B Walsh.
