For much of the time, the subject of 'sledging' is ignored in the context of rugby, but the ongoing rivalry between certain Munster players and Felipe Contepomi, to the backdrop of a full house, will be sure to add an extra frisson to tonight's events in Musgrave Park.

According to Contepomi, the likes of Donncha O'Callaghan, Denis Leamy and Ronan O'Gara have not been shy about expressing some of their views to the Puma in previous Munster-Leinster affairs and it was abundantly evident during the Ireland-Argentina World Cup encounter that Contepomi was not the shy, reticent type either.

In any event, he won't be inviting the aforementioned players to his house for dinner, and one imagines they wouldn't be inclined to do so either.

"We haven't really spoken about that one this week," maintains Leinster coach Michael Cheika. "We're very dedicated to playing the correct way we need to if we're going to get anything down there. We wouldn't use it too much.

"It's really up to them. It'll be all about concentration. Little mistakes will cost you and if you take your eye off the ball and start worrying about sledging, you're not concentrating on what you should be doing. Yeah, but you have to be prepared to wear it if you give it out," laughs Cheika.

Pitched into the Munster-Leinster rivalry when it reached a new found intensity in the three-match 2005-06 campaign which reached a monumental climax in that European Cup semi-final, Cheika admits he's become more accustomed to it now.

"It's almost taken for granted now that it's going to step up a notch. It's clear from the comments from both sides that right now is the time to step it up another notch. It's a really great encounter and every time we've played them it's been been a great match. You either learn something or you're terribly sad or terribly happy. It's a real emotional ride and you've got to keep your composure in the middle of that intensity."

"There's always great rivalry whenever you play one of the Irish provinces, and Friday night will be no different against Munster," says Brian O'Driscoll.

"It's not just bragging rights at stake, the team who wins can go top of the league. But at this stage of the season, irrespective of Friday night's result, I don't think that either side will think that they're in the driving seat.

"There are friends in both camps, but you tend to put everything to one side when you come up against each other. Even if you're team-mates with Ireland, it makes no odds when you play in an Interpro. Every player wants to go out and be on a winning side and you play as hard as you can if you're playing against Munster as you would if you were playing against the All Blacks, for example."

Munster coach Declan Kidney commented yesterday: "Munster Leinster games are always great occasions, you only have to look at the demand for tickets over the past few weeks to know that. Certainly the interest in this game seems to be right up there with anything we've experienced in the past.

"As for the game itself, I think its going to be a great contest. They are one of the top sides not alone in Ireland but in Europe so we'd have a lot of respect for them.

"There'll be a great atmosphere and its days like these make this job so enjoyable."