The rugby season goes up another gear this weekend as the Irish provincial coaches tweak their starting line-ups with the Heineken European Cup in mind. Here, the true worth of the Magners League becomes apparent.
Leinster go to Netherdale to face the Border Reivers this Friday, while Edinburgh visit a wounded Munster in Thomond Park.
Portuguese centre Diogo Mateus (28) could make his Munster debut having been named in a 25-man squad although Trevor Halstead and the fit-again Barry Murphy look set to renew last season's successful combination, which was only disrupted by injury to the latter. Another centre signing, Taranaki's Lifeimi Mafi, has yet to link up with the squad.
John Kelly may switch to wing, at the expense of either Ian Dowling or Tomás O'Leary, as neither Christian Cullen (shoulder) or Anthony Horgan (knee) are available for at least six weeks. John Hayes makes a welcome return at prop.
Leinster are hopeful Chris Whitaker (shoulder) and Robert Kearney (hamstring) can recover for this Friday. A more pressing concern is their dysfunctional lineout where one from Brian Blaney, Bernard Jackman and Harry Vermass will be charged with addressing the ongoing hooker problem before Gloucester come to Lansdowne Road on Saturday week. That match that will be all ticket following the difficulties with entry to the ground against Munster.
Ulster will be without wingers Tommy Bowe and Mark Bartholomeusz, who are struggling with hamstring injuries, for the visit of Cardiff Blues to Ravenhill on Saturday. David Humphreys has yet to recover from a dangerous tackle by Connacht's Ted Robinson last Friday. All three players' main target is to regain fitness ahead of the opening European encounter against Toulouse, also at Ravenhill, on Saturday week.
Setanta Sports have yet again opted against a live broadcast from the Sportsground, for the visit of the Dragons - where winter Conor McPhillips should be available to the home team - instead opting for the Leinster game in Netherdale. To set up a live outside broadcast link costs €15,000, while a single camera, say, like the one stationed in the Sportsground, costs €1,000. Connacht's only chance of receiving live coverage appears to be an interprovincial fixture against Ulster at Ravenhill on St Stephen's Day.
The AIB All-Ireland League season also gets underway this Saturday with defending champions Shannon travelling up to Eaton Park to play Ballymena.
MUNSTER: S Payne, I Dowling, J Kelly, B Murphy, T Halstead, D Mateus, T O'Leary, P Stringer, B O'Meara, J Manning, R O'Gara, M Horan, T Ryan, J Hayes, F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, A Kyriacou, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy, T McGann, A Foley.
* South Africa will return to Leicester 100 years after their first overseas tour match to face a World XV at the Walkers Stadium.
The December 3rd clash will be a re-match following South Africa's 30-27 win over a World side at Ellis Park earlier this year and it rounds off the Springboks' centenary tour.
