Wood fit: Munster have no worries

Munster have confirmed an unchanged team from that which beat Toulouse in the semi-final for Saturday's Heineken European Cup final against Northampton at Twickenham (3.0). Coach Declan Kidney confirmed that talismanic hooker Keith Wood would be available having recovered from the torn calf muscle sustained in the semi-final.

A fortnight of intensive physiotherapy and rest has ensured that Wood will be able to take his place. There is also no change to the replacements bench.

In response to the news that England captain Matt Dawson would miss the game because of his dislocated shoulder, Kidney pointed out that his replacement Dom Malone is an able deputy: "Dom Malone is an excellent player and we won't underestimate his ability."

It is not the first time that Kidney will encounter Malone. On the previous occasion Malone played for an England team that opposed a Kidney-coached Ireland side in a Schools international at Ravenhill.

Ironically the Northampton scrumhalf, despite having playing for the England Schools, is qualified to play for Ireland through an Irish father. When contacted by a newspaper, Malone expressed an interest in pursuing that option.

Kidney rubbished the notion that Munster were strong favourites. "Northampton are the biggest side we have faced and of all the teams we have played, they are the ones most like ourselves. The play with great pride and play a very disciplined game. They have also experienced the Twickenham occasion," a reference to their English Cup final defeat by Wasps.

England skipper Dawson faces a six-month stint on the sidelines after a London specialist confirmed his absence from Saturday's final and England's summer tour of South Africa.

The 27-year-old scrum-half had already been omitted by national coach Clive Woodward, but his hopes of ending the season with a Twickenham appearance for Northampton against Munster were dealt a final crushing blow.

Despite dislocating his shoulder twice within 10 days, Northampton coach John Steele had suggested that Dawson would play through the pain barrier on Saturday if there was no chance of making the problem worse.

However, the player, who Woodward admitted had been "put through the mill this season", was left in no doubt that his long-term health is at stake and he will now have an operation early next week to rectify his shoulder problem - which resurfaced in the Premiership defeat at Saracens last Wednesday.

"The dislocation at Saracens seemed more severe than the previous times it had gone this season," said Dawson, a disconsolate figure when he put in a brief appearance at his club's training session at Franklin's Gardens yesterday before heading to the capital to learn his fate.

"I have been told that my shoulder is not stable enough to risk playing on Saturday. Although I will be a frustrated spectator this weekend and I am disappointed not to be tackling the Springboks this summer, it is time to concentrate on my long-term future."

Steele confirmed that number eight Grant Seeley will also miss the game after picking up an injury in the victory over Newcastle on Sunday which secured Northampton's fifth-place finish in England and a place in next season's European Cup.

Long-term injury victims Jon Sleightholme and Nick Beal will also sit out the Munster match, with Steele set to finalise his lineup tomorrow. Northampton's hopes have been boosted by skipper Pat Lam's declaration of fitness.

"I have had two weeks off and that has made a massive difference to the way I feel," said the mighty Samoan.

Munster: D Crotty; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, K Wood, J Hayes; M Galwey (capt), J Langford; E Halvey, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: J O'Neill, K Keane, T Tierney, A Quinlan, D O'Callaghan, F Sheahan, M Horan.