Munster should stop the rot

Celtic League previews/Glasgow v Munster: Nobody beats Munster twice, goes the saying, and in Europe it is a truism. But tonight the European Cup holders face one of only two Magners Celtic League sides (the other was Ulster) to have completed a double over them.

Somewhat preposterously, despite finishing bottom of the heap come May, two of Glasgow's five wins came against Munster, one of them being in Thomond Park for good measure.

Some teams may approach meetings with the men in red nursing an inferiority complex, but as Declan Kidney points out Glasgow will hardly fall into that category. Admittedly, Munster were far removed from optimum strength or performance on either of those meetings, but then again they are still a long way from that this evening, given their nine Irish frontliners are kept back for another fortnight.

Nonetheless, they are beginning to bear some resemblance to the team which reached their Holy Grail last May in Cardiff, with Anthony Horgan and Mick O'Driscoll being released ahead of schedule after an eight-week, as opposed to 10-week, pre-season.

Munster will also play their captain Anthony Foley, who had been available last week and whose absence from a 34-man Irish squad for a mini-camp next week is purely for selection reasons maintain the Irish management, as opposed to any misgivings about his inability to attend a second pre-season stint in Spala in Poland.

Ian Dowling also returns from injury, while Alan Quinlan is named on the bench as is prodigal scrumhalf Brian O'Meara, back in the fold as cover in that position.

Although back in training after overcoming a calf strain, Christian Cullen's non-selection highlights a new dilemma for the All Blacks' most prolific try-scorer.

Eligibility regulations permits just two 'overseas' players and those slots on this occasion go to outhalf Jeremy Manning and openside flanker Tim McGann.

The quartet who make way are Tom Gleeson, Mossy Lawlor, Donncha Ryan and last week's man of the match James Coughlan.

"Of course it wasn't easy to make changes after the way the side performed last week but given that it was a six-day turnaround and the need to give players a chance to stake a claim for a place in the side and the opportunity to freshen up the side, we opted for this selection."

On the face of it, Glasgow don't look remotely equipped to topple Munster once more, and have already slipped to 10th in an embryonic table after defeats to the Dragons and Llanelli, and they haven't beaten an Irish side since their win in Limerick last February.

But once again, the sight of Munster is liable to up their performance while coach Seán Lineen has rung the changes, recalling winger Hefin O'Hare, veteran scrumhalf Graeme Beveridge and openside John Barclay, while also giving a debut to new signing Sean Marsden at outside centre.

"The combination needs freshening up as last week it didn't work as well as we would have liked," admitted Lineen.

GLASGOW: F Leonelli; H O'Hare, S Marsden, A Henderson, T Evans; D Parks, G Beveridge; J Va'a, F Thomson, E Murray, A Newman, A Kellock, A Wilson, J Barclay, J Beattie. Replacements: E Milligan, K Tkachuk, D Turner, S Swindall, S Pinder, C Gregor, C Shaw.

MUNSTER: S Payne; I Dowling, J Kelly, J Downey, A Horgan; J Manning, T O'Leary; D Hurley, F Sheahan, F Pucciariello; M O'Driscoll, C Wyatt; J O'Sullivan, T McGann, A Foley (capt). Replacements: T Ryan, A Kyriacou, D Ryan, A Quinlan, B O'Meara, E Hickey, M Lawlor.

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU).

Previous meetings: (03-04) Munster 26 Glasgow 10; Glasgow 12 Munster 37; (04-05) Glasgow 26 Munster 28; Munster 25 Glasgow 19; (05-06) Glasgow 32 Munster 10; Munster 20 Glasgow 26.

Leading points scorers: Glasgow - Dan Parks 14. Munster - Jeremy Manning 17.

Leading try scorers: Glasgow - Graeme Morrison, Sam Pinder, John Barclay, Colin Shaw 1 each. Munster - Timmy Ryan 1.

Forecast: Munster to win.