Thomond awaits hero Woods

Hail the return of the conquering hero? Well, maybe not quite. Keith Wood adorns the billboards with his fellow Irish Lions but this being his first competitive appearance on home soil since his stirring achievements in South Africa, it merely places him up there to be shot at. A warmish welcome can be anticipated from a huge Thomond Park crowd.

It's an awful shame that Munster's home defeat to Cardiff effectively means this is a dead rubber for them, as they are one of only three teams who are mathematically out of the European Cup. But given Woods' presence as captain of the perceived fancy dans from London, it will hardly seem like that as Munster strive to maintain their unbeaten Euro record at Thomond and finish their season with a flourish.

Indeed, this will probably be the one occasion this season when Woods' presence will inspire the opposition more than his own team. He says he hasn't given much thought to the reception that awaits him. "I'm sure it'll be as harsh as you can imagine. It won't be friendly, but it'll be friendly afterwards."

Publicly at any rate, he has been striving manfully to play down this game. I'm not going to over estimate the importance of this one match just six weeks into the season. For one match to take huge significance would be wrong. It's another match. It's big, but it's not that big."

In a sense, certainly from Harlequins' perspective, he's right. "It's Munster's last match of the season but we've another bloody 35 to go." Equally warily, he admits that "everybody is always trying to beat us, just because we are who we are - the city slicker." This perception of Quins amuses the self-confessed "Mr Roughouse - I'm far from a city slicker."

Strange and all as it will be to change in the visitors' dressingroom, it's odder still to think that Wood only ever played for Munster three times and never once at Thomond Park. "I've already played about 35 times for Harlequins, which is more than ten times my appearances for Munster. This match also sees him renew, er, hostilities with Mick Galwey. The local wags are calling it Judgement Day Two in deference to the neat hook with which Galway floored Wood and ended his involvement in the first game.

The Munster captain still grimaces with embarrassment about that one, and though Wood maintains Galwey should have been sent off it has not soured a beautiful friendship. "He's never been a guy I'd ring regularly, but we've had some of the best nights ever and every time we meet we're very good friends."

Of renewing acquaintances with his old sparring partner, Galwey says: "I'll say it'll go the distance this time. I hope so." For Harlequins this is a chance to cement a home quarter-final, "which is crucial from a commercial viewpoint and a chance to regain the winning habit" says coach Andy Keast.

For Munster, "it's our last game of the season so basically it's our Cup final." says Galwey. "A lot of people are talking about this game so it's going to be our last chance to prove we are a good team and keep our record at Thomond Park."

A bit like an injured tennis player in the fifth set, without the pressure of qualification Munster can afford to swing from the hip. "We'll be hoping for heavy underfoot conditions. An ol' drop of rain and a bit of a wind like against Wasps last season, might suit us. We're not going to be throwing the ball around for fun, but we will try to play some of the total rugby we've been aiming for," said Galwey.

When Harlequins hit their second half groove of last week, nearly completing a memorable comeback against Cardiff with two of the tries of the season, Keast's team can be fluid in motion. Though more like an Egyptian mummy in appearance than the bionic man these days, the genius of Laurent Cabannes still thrives; Wood describes him as the best player he's ever played with, while Thierry Lacroix pulls the strings. Nonetheless, Galwey believes Harlequins are not a spoiling side "and I think it will suit us playing a side like Harlequins."

We shall see. It should be very interesting.