Clash of the heavyweights likely to sway Ulster's way

European champions against Irish champions - Ireland doesn't stage games like this every other week. It's also second against first and Ulster's first runout at home since they lifted the European Cup. So today's Guinness Interpro summit meeting between Ulster and Munster at Queen's is undoubtedly the pick of an embryonic season thus far.

The billing will no doubt tempt Munstermen to suggest that, given a choice between conquering Ireland or conquering Europe, Ulster took the easy option last season. In any event, it's their title that's on the line now to a degree.

Munster have been making a pretty decent fist of it so far too. Undoubtedly, they've shown marginally the better form in their convincing beatings of Leinster and Connacht, and accordingly come to Belfast with the minor little buffer of an additional bonus point and superior points differential.

Keith Wood and John Langford have given the Munster pack a harder and more dynamic edge this season, as has the maturing and confident half-back pairing of Tom Tierney and Ronan O'Gara. The arrival of Mike Mullins and the bedding down of the strong-running John Kelly has also given them a more potent midfield. Munster have played the most adventurous, quick-recycling, running rugby, and look the best all-round side, thus far.

Munster's one lacking has been true pace out wide, though they've hidden it well. However, the return from fitness of Anthony Horgan - one of the better wingers despite being injury-prone - and the selection of the Shannon speedster Colm McMahon (nominally a flanker, occasionally a centre and now, suddenly, a winger) may redress that.

Ulster, despite the gelling of their all-international, all-singing, and all-dancing back row, didn't really seek to utilise their talents offensively against Leinster, where they lapsed into a defensive and conservative shell.

Nonetheless, whereas Munster have outscored Ulster by 14 tries to eight, Ulster's impenetrable four-up midfield defence has seen them not concede a try, as against Munster's concession of four tries.

That defence, allied to Simon Mason's boot (13 out of 15 placekicks so far, a tad below normal) and their winning habit, 10 on the spin since Munster routed them in Cork last October, gives them plenty to fall back on. Perhaps Ulster are falling back on it too much and are due the ultimate jolt. However, there is one intangible ingredient which more than offsets the form-guide thus far - home advantage.

In a fixture which last saw an away win in 1992, this statistic is significant, all the more so as Munster are notoriously poor travellers and haven't won in Belfast since 1977.

One draw and 10 losses in 11 visits up North is heavy history. Munster may be mentally a stronger lot now, especially with Wood and Langford on board, and the hunch remains that Munster may be this season's best province, yet the evidence awaits.

Nor will the move to Queen's from Ravenhill necessarily diminish the home advantage. You suspect that a capacity 6,000 crowd, a first home fixture since their European crowning, a compelling match and the memory of that last setback in Cork, will inspire Ulster to give of their best.