Munster have much to prove

MAGNERS LEAGUE Munster v Edinburgh:MUNSTER seek to return to winning ways at home to Edinburgh tonight after their defeat to Treviso last Sunday and thereby maintain their seven-point lead atop the table.

However, coming in the midst of the Six Nations, it’s impossible not to look upon this fixture in the context of Ireland’s team selection next Wednesday to face the Scots.

The focus, in particular, will be on that enduring double act, Peter Stringer and Ronan O’Gara, who needed no second invitation to pitch up for this game and stake their Ireland claims yet again.

Stringer is coming from farther back, which, in itself, must be a little perplexing. His form had forced him into both the Ireland team which rounded off the November series with a win over Argentina (still his only game with Jonny Sexton) and for Munster’s penultimate European pool game.

Indeed, having then been one of two scrumhalves in the original Six Nations squad, only to miss out on the 22 for Rome before being called up as third-choice back-up in view of Tomás O’Leary’s back spasm last week, Stringer can’t have been a happy bunny of late.

He probably feels that if he threw in a few big hits, ran in a couple of tries and backheeled a match-winning drop goal it still probably wouldn’t make much difference. Even so, given the wider, running game Ireland are seeking to play, a reminder of his silver-salver service would be timely.

O’Gara has revelled in the role of would-be saviour in Ireland’s last two outings, watching from the stands for an hour or so before bringing his vast rugby knowledge and game management to bear (which, like Stringer, underlines the value of experience on the bench). He is clearly enjoying his rugby as much as ever, is happy to be involved and is kicking superbly this season (he has the highest average of any place-kicker in the league).

Though unlikely to elbow his way into the Ireland backrow of last week for Murrayfield, Denis Leamy will also be eager for a run-out and no doubt mindful of Stephen Ferris’ looming return.

Wian du Preez, Mick O’Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan and Denis Hurley are promoted from last week’s bench, with Doug Howlett, Lifeimi Mafi, Paul Warwick, Damian Varley, Tommy O’Donnell and James Coughlan the only survivors from the starting XV in Treviso, as Johne Murphy returns at fullback and Tony Buckley at tighthead.

“I think the positive from that game was the way we finished,” said O’Driscoll. “We came back into it and put ourselves in position to achieve a victory that had looked unlikely when they went 16-3 up. We started with a lot of young lads that day and that’s something else I would consider a positive.

“So I think what we have to do is look to build on that finish from the start tomorrow night. We need to bounce back and keep ourselves in line for a place in the knock-out stages of the Magners, which was one of our aims at the start of the season.”

Interim Edinburgh coach Nick Scrivener has made four changes from the 30-22 defeat against the Dragons last Saturday. James King comes in at centre, Scott MacLeod and Steven Turnbull team up in the secondrow, while Ross Rennie returns from Scotland duty to start at openside flanker.

The comforts of home should help Munster too, the leaders having won all 11 home games this season in League, Heineken Cup and claiming the midweek scalp of Australia.

Furthermore, Edinburgh’s only victory on the road in their last 17 matches was by 10-9 against Aironi in Viadana in the League in early October, while their most recent win in Ireland was 16-13 at Ulster in September ’09.

Munster have also had the edge in this fixture in recent times, losing just once in their last eight encounters since 2006, at Murrayfield in October ’09.

MUNSTER: J Murphy; D Howlett, L Mafi, P Warwick, D Hurley; R O'Gara, P Stringer; W du Preez, D Varley, T Buckley; D Ryan, M O'Driscoll, D Leamy (capt), T O'Donnell, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, I Nagle, B Holland, D Williams, T Gleeson, S Zebo.

EDINBURGH: C Paterson; L Jones, B Cairns, J King, T Visser; D Blair, G Laidlaw (capt); K Traynor, A Kelly, G Cross, S MacLeod, S Turnbull, F McKenzie, R Rennie, N Talei. Replacements: A Walker, L Niven, D Young, A MacDonald, R Grant, N De Luca, S Webster, J Thompson.

Referee: N Owens(WRU).

Forecast: Munster to win.