Munster and Glasgow, on 56 points apiece,  Ulster, one point behind on 55 and Scarlets (51) are effectively chasing the two remaining play off places (Leinster secured one 'home' spot last night and Ospreys are odds-on for the second).

Both of tonights sides wind up with a difficult away and home schedule, Warriors away to Treviso then home to Connacht while Munster must travel to Parc Y Scarlets before hosting, whisper it, Ulster, in their final game.

And neither should allow themselves to be distracted by earlier events in Galway where Connacht host Ulster (5.15 ko).

This evening, the momentum is unquestionably with the visitors. They are undefeated in their last six matches in the RaboDirect PRO12 and furthermore have only been beaten once, 16-14 away to Scarlets, since mid September.

Injury accounts for three of the six changes Sean Lineen makes to the side that thumped Cardiff Blues last time out but there's a return at number 8 for Johnnie Beattie, in in place of Ryan Wilson.

Seven of those who were involved in the 23 against Ulster last weekend are unavailable to Tony McGahan through injury and that might, in a perverse sort of way, act in their favour, helping to negate the hangover of that defeat.

Luke O'Dea comes onto the right wing in the place of Denis Hurley (leg injury) and there's no doubt O'Dea knows how to find the tryline as he's shown in the RaboDirect before, and more recently in the Britsh & Irish Cup semi final win over Leinster.

Ian Keatley comes in for the injured Ronan O'Gara and is partnered by Tomas O'Leary, O'Callaghan teams up with another 200+ capper Mick O'Driscoll in the second row and there's a reshuffled back-row, Peter O'Mahony moving to number 8 in place of James Coughlan (broken hand) and Donnacha Ryan in at blindside wing forward.

RaboDirect PRO12 games may lack the aura of the Heineken Cup ones. And the difference in intensity was evident last weekend. So too the consequence of defeat.

But this game tonight will lack nothing in either of those areas. 

Munster: F Jones; L O’Dea, J Murphy, L Mafi, S Zebo; I Keatley, T O’Leary; W du Preez, M Sherry, S Archer; D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll capt; D Ryan, T O’Donnell, P O’Mahony. Replacements: D Varley, M Horan, J Ryan, B Holland, P Butler, C Murray, S Deasy, I Dineen.

Glasgow Warriors: P Murchie; F Aramburu, S Hogg, A Dunbar, C Shaw; R Jackson, C Cusiter; J Welsh, P MacArthur, M Cusack; R Gray; A Kellock (capt); R Harley, C Fusaro, J Beattie. Replacements: D Hall, R Grant, M Low, T Ryder, C Forrester, H Pyrgos, D Weir, T Seymour.

Referee: N Owens (Wales).