To call this an eight-point table-topper may be a tad premature but there's little doubting its importance in a broader context. While the Guinness Interprovincials are more of a middle-distance race than a sprint, the margin for slip-ups is still fairly fine. And mindful of the need to procure a top-two place to ensure automatic qualification for next season's European Cup, victory here would leave the winners with one foot clear of the Shield trapdoor.

At least each of these protagonists has the cushion of one win thus far and the knowledge that there is a return meeting. After the rustiness of their initial displays seven nights ago, both squads are entitled to hope for a little more on-field harmony and performance levels.

In particular, Leinster will be hopeful that following the flawed experiment of trying a recuperating Nathan Turner at outhalf, their new Kiwi in that position, Simon Broughton, can solve this perennial problem berth. Admittedly Matt Williams and company will also be keeping their fingers crossed that Girvan Dempsey can adequately assume the place-kicking duties.

Broughton loves to play a running game and with the undoubted talent outside of him, you sense it could be one of those curious sporting cases of right time, right place, right man. By contrast, Munster have an established playmaker and ace points gatherer in Ronan O'Gara, who had seven sightings of goal in Ravenhill and clinically potted the lot. However, long before the end, Munster couldn't buy a try.

Declan Kidney has conceded the need to re-develop their ability to create openings against overly familiar opponents. On the basis that a week is ample time for them, no one could doubt that he and the brains trust will do so.

Even so, for all Frankie Sheahan's excellent work-rate (which possibly even strengthened the Munster pack's close-in work) last week's opening salvos confirmed the expectation that the departure of Keith Wood deprives the champions of a main gamebreaker.

Leinster appear to have far more of a cutting edge, and pace individually, what with Peter McKenna, Gordon D'Arcy, Dempsey and Ireland's premier finisher Denis Hickie, looking serious, focused, fit and in form.

So, on the premise that Leinster may have more potential for seven-pointers (or at any rate five-pointers) and that two fairly established packs could cancel each other out, a surprise should not be ruled out. After all, Munster were beatable and trailing after 70 minutes last week. Nor ought they to have anything like the line-out supremacy and ultimate scrummaging edge they enjoyed at Ravenhill. The return of Emmet Byrne (who feeds off scrums as ravenously as George Foreman tucks into burgers) and the advent of Roly Meates has toughened Leinster up in this department, as evidenced by their six turn-overs at scrum time last week. Shane Byrne is a mite more accurate than Richie Weir and has the peerless Malcolm O'Kelly to hit.

Nevertheless, as befits the more settled of the two sides with eight successive championship victories, Munster's knack of just doing enough could again make them mentally stronger in a tight finish.