Sale v Munster:THERE'S SCARCELY room to breathe in a competitive Heineken Cup pool and the results of the first week have contrived to put Munster on the back foot to a degree when heading into the Stockport furnace that is Edgeley Park.
Indeed, it wouldn't be stretching things to suggest tomorrow's shoot-out will go some way to determining the fate of the number one seeds in Pool One.
There are so many strands to this game that it makes it, probably, the hardest match to call in round two, and confirmation yesterday Rua Tipoki's tweaked hamstring has registered him hors de combat won't have done much to ease the concerns of the Red Army.
In his absence, Keith Earls has been shuffled to centre alongside Lifeimi Mafi, with Paul Warwick chosen at full-back. Ian Dowling has been passed fit and the physicality and tackling of fit-again Tomás O'Leary mean he is chosen ahead of Peter Stringer's superior service and experience to help shore up the fringe defence and the sniping of Dwayne Peel.
John O'Sullivan has also been preferred to Justin Melck in a reshuffled backrow, with David Wallace moving to number eight, after "being outplayed a little on the ground last week", according to coach Tony McGahan.
The changes all make sense, and signify a tighter, more physical game, with a greater emphasis on kicking. Earls has a big boot, but anticipating an aerial bombardment from a hitherto cautious Sale, McGahan has opted for Warwick's more developed and varied kicking game on Edgeley Park's narrow confines as well as, he explained yesterday, "another passer and organiser in midfield; Paul can come up and control things as a second receiver."
Barry Murphy, McGahan admitted, "hadn't done anything wrong but we just felt that Keith would give us a little bit more power and get us over the gain line on first phase."
The presence of the quick, strong and dynamic Luke McAlister on one side, along with Mafi and Earls on the other, should ensure some of the weekend's more impressive midfield footwork.
Sale have been forced to make changes as well. Rudi Keil, a try-scoring replacement for the injured Lee Thomas (shoulder) last week, starts alongside McAlister after escaping suspension during the week for an alleged dangerous tackle in the win over Clermont, though secondrow Kris Ormsby has been banned and is replaced by the experienced Brent Cockbain.
SALE:R Lamont; M Cueto, L McAlister, R Keil, D Doherty; R Wigglesworth, D Peel; L Faure, N Briggs, E Roberts; S Chabal, B Cockbain; C Jones, L Abraham, J Fernandez Lobbe [capt]. Replacements: M Jones, S Turner, D Schofield, J White, C Hodgson, M Tait, C Bell.
MUNSTER:P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt); A Quinlan, J O'Sullivan, D Wallace. Replacements: D Fogarty, F Pucciariello, D Ryan, J Melck, P Stringer, B Murphy, D Hurley.
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France).
Previous meetings(2005-06): Sale 27 Munster 13; Munster 31 Sale 9.
Results so far:Munster 19-17 (h) v Montauban. Sale 32-15 v Clermont Auvergne (a).
Betting:Sale evens, Munster 4/5, draw 20/1.
Handicap: (Sale +1pt) Sale 10/11 Munster 10/11.
Forecast:Munster to win.
