Celtic League/Munster v Edinburgh: Munster coach Declan Kidney has been forced to tweak his side further after Tomás O'Leary sustained a slight hamstring strain. The injury is not serious but the prognosis is that it would have been foolish to risk him in this match.
It means Munster will be without their front-line players Ronan O'Gara, Marcus Horan and Denis Leamy as well as a couple of others trying to shake minor niggles following long-term injury: Mike Mullins and Christian Cullen.
Young Jeremy Manning also sits this game out following the blow to the head he sustained in the defeat by the Dragons.
Mullins did get some game time the last day but Kidney has instead opted for John Kelly at outside centre. Kelly, an intelligent and frequently underrated player, may occupy that role against Leinster tomorrow week.
Anthony Horgan, Munster's top try scorer in the Celtic League this season, makes a welcome return on the right wing.
Paul Burke partners Peter Stringer at halfback, while there are no changes in the pack.
It is heartening to see Rob Henderson back among the replacements and he should get some game time tonight.
Edinburgh are a freewheeling outfit. They like to keep the ball in hand and in some respects are similar to Leinster. They thrive on the counter-attack and like to use the full expanse of the pitch.
One of their number who will bring fond memories of Thomond Park is centre Peter Jorgensen. He once scored a try here in helping the Australian schoolboys to victory over their Irish counterparts, an Ireland side that included today's Munster captain, Anthony Foley. No doubt the two will replay that game over a beer.
The Scots have omitted their top scorer, Chris Paterson, but present a strong line-up.
Scott Murray leads a strong and mobile pack including the excellent Allister Hogg and Simon Taylor, both of whom stood out in this season's Six Nations Championship.
It would be foolish to write off Munster on the basis of three straight defeats in this competition and the obvious quality of opposition. For all their injury problems, it's a given that Munster thrive in adversity, something to which history testifies.
But Edinburgh just look better primed for this one.
MUNSTER: S Payne; A Horgan, J Kelly, T Halstead, I Dowling; P Burke, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell; M O'Driscoll, D Wallace, A Foley (capt). Replacements: F Roche, D Fogarty, T Hogan, J O'Sullivan, M Prendergast, M Lawlor, R Henderson.
EDINBURGH: H Southwell; F Leonelli, M Di Rollo, P Jorgensen, S Webster; D Hodge, M Blair; A Dickinson, A Kelly, C Smith; A Kellock, S Murray (capt); A Hogg, A Strokosh, S Taylor. Replacements: A Jacobsen, D Hewett, D Duley, A MacDonald, R Lawson, P Godman, N De Luca.
Referee: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Leading points scorers: Munster - Ronan O'Gara 71. Edinburgh - Chris Paterson 100.
Leading try scorers: Munster - Anthony Horgan 4. Edinburgh - Rob Dewey, Simon Webster 4 each.
Verdict: Edinburgh to win.
Munster v Edinburgh Thomond Park, today Kick-off - 7.30pm
On TV - Setanta Sports
