Semi-final preview: With an all-Irish semi-final in view, Johnny Watterson looks for straws in the wind.

Munster are insistent this is a home tie to Leinster. No number of red shirts in Lansdowne Road on Saturday could shake the Munster argument that the semi-final venue is Leinster's patch.

"The draw is that we're away. Leinster are at home. It's being played in Dublin. We're away," said Declan Kidney with a mildly quizzical look on his face at having been asked a question with such an obvious answer.

When the teams meet in three weeks' time in the Heineken European Cup semi-final, both will look to past meetings for an edge. They have played each other twice this season in the Celtic league and won a game apiece, the home advantage proving typically decisive in both instances.

The first meeting, back in October in Musgrave Park, moved Munster back to the top of the Celtic League table, when they ran in five tries in a one-sided game. Marcus Horan, Mick O'Driscoll, Denis Leamy, John Kelly and Ronan O'Gara touched down for Munster despite the fact Leinster's Felipe Contepomi, playing at inside centre, had kicked the Dublin side to a 9-5 half-time lead.

The rout left Leinster with the dubious record of not having won in Munster since a 24-18 victory at Dooradoyle in 1998.

But Leinster were soon to have revenge. On New Year's Eve, a Celtic league record crowd of 14,000 turned out at the RDS to watch the home side turn over Munster 35-23.

With Contepomi in his more destructive position of outhalf, Leinster touched down four times, the Argentinian running the show with aplomb. His tally of two tries, three conversions and three penalties and a try each from Shane Horgan and hooker Brian Blaney ensure Leinster will go into the semi-final with the fresher victory in mind.

With Brian O'Driscoll back, they may have a right to feel they are a much improved side since last autumn.

In fairness to Munster, however, their secondrow Donncha O'Callaghan, prop John Hayes and centre Trevor Halstead were all on the bench in the Dublin meeting. Injury aside, that will not happen in the semi-final. Kidney also referred to both Mike Mullins and Christian Cullen, who will, crucially, have had three more weeks to become match fit and compete for selection.

"They (Leinster) had the weapons to win over there and obviously they played very well," said Anthony Foley on Saturday. "We've gone to France and beaten Toulouse but we did it in Bordeaux. To beat Toulouse in Toulouse, all hats off to them."

The obvious and perhaps uncomplicated view of the meeting is that it will be a battle between the relentless Munster pack and the mercurial Leinster backline, which clicked so readily in Toulouse.

"You insult a lot of people when you say that, you know," said Foley when the simplistic view was voiced. "A lot of lads have pride in themselves and are good professionals. It will be two teams of one to 15. It will be well matched. As Declan said, it will be hammer and tongs."

The inaugural Celtic League final in 2002 was also contested between Leinster and Munster. All four Irish teams made the last eight that year, with three progressing to the semi-finals. The final at Lansdowne Road resulted in a 24-20 victory for the boys in blue.

But with the changes of players and coaches in the intervening years, few will look to 2002 as an indicator for 2006.

Michael Cheika has transformed Leinster while Declan Kidney has a pack that, with Paul O'Connell - incredibly, he just seems to get better with each game - further enhanced its reputation in the Six Nations Championship.

"It's fabulous that the two Irish teams are going to meet," said Munster assistant coach Jim Williams. "They are two contrasting sides. I watched them today (against Toulouse). They had a fantastic backline and muscled up well and took their chances.

"(Jamie) Heaslip did well, Horgan too and O'Driscoll took his try well."

While it has been said that Munster have had many battles on which to build their legend, Leinster have had precious few. What the blue shirts will be remembered for is losing to Perpignan in a Lansdowne Road semi-final under Matt Williams and giving up the chance of a European Cup final in Dublin.

This season they have beaten Bath away and now Toulouse in their fortress. Perhaps this year their legend starts to build.