Munster determined to lay down a marker

RUGBY MAGNERS LEAGUE: Ospreys v MunsterIN ONE of those distinctly curious quirks of the league programme, Munster are the first of three Irish provinces in action on Welsh soil over the weekend. As with Leinster, they travel to a modern-day, ground-sharing stadium that, for some reason, appears utterly soulless.

Yet, by rights, this should be an example of the league putting its best foot forward. Wales and Ireland have hoovered up the last five Triple Crowns, sprinkled with a Grand Slam each (with none from representatives of the much-hyped Guinness Premiership in that time), and no two outfits have contributed more to the Celts’ success in recent times than this pair.

Even some way short of full-strength there is still plenty of quality on display. The Ospreys' casualty list currently numbers a staggering 15 players – amongst those hors de combatare Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Ryan Jones, Shane Williams, Mike Phillips and Lee Byrne – and yet they can still afford to name James Hook on the bench to back up a starting XV containing 13 internationals.

For their part, Munster have rested David Wallace and Jerry Flannery along with the injured Marcus Horan and Denis Leamy (who expects to be back next week), but can still name 10 internationals in their starting line-up in what is close to a full-strength trial run for the upcoming rendezvous with Perpignan.

Their frontrow resources look a tad beefier since their trying times in late October, with their short-term signing from the Cheetahs, 27-year-old prop Wian du Preez, replacing Julien Brugnaut and linking up with the league champions after being called up to the Springboks’ squad, while John Hayes replaces Stephen Archer.

James Coughlan, who captained the side in their two recent British and Irish Cup victories, makes his first league start since March, while Niall Ronan replaces Wallace. The only change in what is effectively a full-strength back-line sees Doug Howlett return from injury.

The last time Alan Quinlan, Ronan and Coughlan formed the Munster backrow, they won 26-13 away to Glasgow in March, with Ronan scoring a hat-trick of tries, while previous to that Ronan and Coughlan played alongside each other in the memorable outing against the All Blacks a year ago. Admittedly, they’re coming up against an all-All Blacks backrow as it were, in Jerry Collins, Marty Holah and Filo Tiatia.

Under Scott Johnson there have been some games, or at any rate some patches in games, when the Ospreys have played with the flair one would expect of a team coached by the Australian and featuring such game-breakers, yet somehow they never appear to add up to the sum of their parts.

Their only win in their last six matches in all competitions was a 25-24 success over Clermont Auvergne at home in mid-October, and they have won just one of their last five games against Irish opposition – 19-12 away to Connacht in the opening weekend of the league.

Munster have lost five of their last six away matches, though they have a highly-impressive record against Welsh opponents, winning 13 of their last 14 against the regions. This includes four successive wins over the Ospreys, amongst them the high point of last season when they filleted the Ospreys 43-9 in the Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park.

Heading into the meat of the season, both stand on the fringes of the play-off places, but the game is also preparation for next weekend’s Heineken Cup. Whereas the Ospreys can expect to dip their bread against Viadana back-to-back, Munster could do with a statement of collective intent prior to the first of their crunch meetings with French champions Perpignan in Thomond Park next Friday, as was the case when winning the week before the wins over Sale and Montauban in January.

OSPREYS: G Owen; T Bowe, S Parker, A Bishop, N Walker; D Biggar, L Davies; D Jones, R Hibbard, C Mitchell; A-W Jones, J Thomas; J Collins (Capt), M Holah, F Tiatia. Replacements: H Bennett, P James, C Griffiths, A Lloyd, B Lewis, R Webb, J Hook.

MUNSTER: P Warwick; D Howlett, J de Villiers, L Mafi, K Earls; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; W du Preez, D Fogarty, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, O'Connell; A Quinlan, N Ronan, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Varley, T Buckley, D Ryan, M O'Driscoll, N Williams, P Stringer, D Hurley, I Dowling.

Referee: Neil Paterson (SRU).

Previous meetings:(03-04) Munster 29 Ospreys 21; Ospreys 10 Munster 18; (04-05) Munster 45 Ospreys 8; Ospreys 23 Munster 38; (05-06) Munster 37 Ospreys 10; Ospreys 27 Munster 10; (06-07) Munster 25 Ospreys 20; Ospreys 20 Munster 12; (07-08) Ospreys 16 Munster 3; Munster 9 Ospreys 8; Ospreys 21 Munster 25; Munster 36 Ospreys 10.

Leading points scorers:Ospreys – Dan Biggar 40. Munster – Jeremy Manning 30.

Leading try scorers:Ospreys – Tommy Bowe, Jerry Collins 3 each, Nikki Walker 2. Munster – Nick Williams 3, Denis Hurley, David Wallace 2 each.

Betting (Paddy Powers):6/5 Ospreys, 16/1 Draw, 4/6 Munster. Handicap odds (= Ospreys + 3 pts) 10/11 Ospreys, 20/1 Draw, 10/11 Munster.

Forecast: Munster to win.