Llanelli Scarlets may fetch up in Cork without their star players who are been kept for the Hieneken Cup semi joust with Leicester Tigers, but Munster can still expect a severe test from a side who still entertain League title ambitions.
And besides that, the Scarlets can be expected to play their traditional high octane game as their players look to garner crucial Magners League points and stake a claim for inclusion in Phil Davies’ Heineken Cup semi-final squad a week from now.
The challenge for Munster is to shake off the understandable lethargy that pervades following their exit from the Heineken Cup and given that this competition offers nothing in the silverware department.. They retain all but one of the starting backline from the Liberty outing, Ronan O’Gara included in the starting XV this time around while up front there is a return to action for Mick O’Driscoll and John Hayes.
That of course means that Brian Carney, who has made such a positive impression in the games to date, gets another opportunity to further his Union education. Indications so far are that the Cork born wing is a fast learner. He made several crucial contributions last time out against the Osprey and wound up showing a clean pair of heels to Wales and Lions flier Shane Williams en route to scoring the final try of the match.
Donnacha Ryan was another to catch the eye in Swansea and although he may have been a mite lucky that referee David Changleng chose to issue a yellow to the other Donncha, he got through a lot of work and showed great speed to get onto Tomas O’Leary’s shoulder for Munster’s opening try.
Munster must not look at the board and remark who the Scarlets have left in Wales for this game. Rather concentrate on those who run onto the field and pay particular attention to numbers, 15 and 11.
Munster: M Lawlor; B Carney, B Murphy, L Mafi, A Horgan; R O’Gara, T O’Leary; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll; D Ryan, J O’Sullivan, A Foley capt. Replacements: D Fogarty, F Pucciariello, C Wyatt, J Coughlan, B O’Meara, J Manning, J Kelly.
Llanelli Scarlets: B Davies; D Daniel, M Watkins, G Evans, M Jones; C Thomas, L Davies; P John, K Owens, C Dunlea; I Afeaki,
A Jones; D Jones, J Bater (capt), N Thomas. Replacements: J Davies, D George, V Cooper, G Thomas, C Stuart-Smith, P Mackey, G Evans