Munster aim to mark spiritual homecoming in physical style

Munster v Glasgow:AS MUNSTER were beating Leinster last week in the RDS, their A side were ensuring the weekend would be a double win for coach Tony McGahan. On the A team there were eight players with Heineken Cup winners' medals. Was there ever any doubt Munster have depth as well as class?

McGahan has brought in Anthony Horgan and Alan Quinlan, replaced Jerry Flannery with Frankie Sheahan, rested Rua Tipoki for Barry Murphy and slotted in Peter Stringer for the injured Tomás O'Leary - and the team still looks formidable.

Mike Prendergast has been drafted onto the bench.

Quinlan's selection means Donnacha Ryan gets a break from the only unbeaten team in the Magners League.

Glasgow will arrive in the new Thomond Park expecting to be met by the usual hurricane that is Munster at home and not least of all because the Heineken Cup is on the horizon.

They will be without their influential Scotland outhalf Dan Parks, who is out with a knee injury and is replaced by Colin Gregor.

In the back line Andrew Henderson comes in for Graeme Morrison at inside centre for a 25,000 sell-out match that coach Sean Lineen expects to be hostile.

"It's going to be a full house. It's going to be unbelievably noisy. So they have got to make sure they are switched on," said Lineen.

"If Munster get some momentum they are very difficult to beat. They have quality players and they are very strong, so we have to make sure we look after the ball, tackle hard and make sure we're not intimidated."

But McGahan has tried to stay typically detached from the fuss surrounding Munster's return to their spiritual home for the first time since December 2006.

"At the end of the day for us it is a Magners League game . . . It's also our final run-out before the Heineken Cup kicks off and again an opportunity for selected players to put their hands up."

Munster's only home defeat in their last eight encounters in all competitions was an 18-21 defeat by Glasgow in Musgrave Park back in May. Glasgow also had a home win against Scarlets last Friday (34-20) and have won three of their last four away matches.

Munster's only win in their last six matches against Glasgow was 38-20 in Cork in May 2007. But there has been a major shift in the quality of teams turning out this year, Munster adamant they will not be playing catch-up as they were forced to do last season.

McGahan will also be using the game to nail down the final few positions before fielding his strongest side next weekend.

"You get performances as we did from players in the A game last week in Dublin and it sets you thinking," he added. "Of course there is a core to this side that won't change against the French but there are places still to be decided and opportunities there."

MUNSTER:K Earls; D Howlett, B Murphy, R Tipoki, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes; P O'Connell (capt), D O'Callaghan; A Quinlan, J Melck, D Wallace. Replacements: D Fogarty, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, N Ronan, M Prendergast, P Warwick, K Lewis.

GLASGOW:B Stortoni; L Fa'atau, M Evans, A Henderson, T Evans; C Gregor, M McMillan; J Va'a, D Hall, M Low; O Palenoi, A Kellock (capt); K Brown, J Barclay, J Beatty. Replacements: E Kalaman, K Tkachuk, T Barker, S Swindall, R Jackson, G Morrison, H O'Hare.

Referee:A Small (England)

Verdict:Home win

NEW THOMOND PARK

Ground capacity: 26,000

Seating capacity: 15,000

Terrace capacity: 11,000

Cost: €40 million

Features: Two new stands, new pitch; new irrigation system; lights from Lansdowne Road added to existing lights.

10-year tickets: 2,500 sold for €5,000-5,500

Corporate boxes: 20

Architects: English company AFL and Limerick firm Murray Ó Laoire. AFL have also designed stands at Old Trafford and for the proposed Liverpool stadium.