Christian Cullen will take his place on the Munster bench for the Heineken Cup game with Cardiff Blues on Sunday (1pm). One spot had been left open when Declan Kidney announced his match day squad on Friday with Cullen bracketed with Mossy Lawlor and Diogo Mateus. However, Cullen on foot of an impressive return to action last weekend against Connacht gets the nod for the vacant spot.

Meanwhile, the Munster squad landed in Cardiff earlier today, their  TNT Airways Boeing 737-300 touching down in gloriously sunny conditions. Highly efficient baggage handling had them quickly dispatched from the terminal and most of the squad were checked into their team hotel, the Vale of Glammorgan, by 1.30pm.

As is the norm, a group of players, Ronan OGara, Shaun Payne, Jeremy Manning and Tomas OLeary went to The Arms Park, to acquaint themselves with the match venue and to get in some kicking practice under the watchful eye of kicking coach Mark Tainton. 

Munster captain Paul O'Connell is under no illusions of the size of the task facing his side tomorrow. "Cardiff will be dangerous for a number of reasons, not least the fear if they lose they could be out of Europe. It's a massive game for them.

"They have lots of internationals playing. The experience is there and with home advantage it's bound to weigh things up in their favour. Martyn Williams is in top form and Mike Phillips has been a great signing for them.

"They've got class all over the pitch, so we're under no illusions about how difficult it's going to be."