The Munster team selection for their Celtic League match tomorrow against Edinburgh was evidently made with an eye to their Heineken European Cup match on Sunday week against Warren Gatland's Wasps. Johnny Watterson reports.
As a consequence of recent results, the League has become of secondary importance for Munster and Connacht - not to mention Leinster - and so of the Irish teams only Ulster, who currently sit at the top of the table with Llanelli Scarlets, both on 55 points, have a burning interest.
Munster will start against Edinburgh at Musgrave Park (7.30 pm) with only four of the team that began against Stade Francais last Saturday in Thomond Park, Christian Cullen, Shaun Payne, Rob Henderson and John Kelly lining out again for Alan Gaffney.
With the rest of the regulars recovering from minor knocks, unwinding or generally minding themselves, Munster travel quite light.
Of the 22 players picked to face Edinburgh, 12 are contracted, six are developmental and four are club players brought in for what is a critical match for the Scots.
Four of the five Welsh sides and two of the three Scottish sides qualify for next year's European Cup. The significance for Edinburgh is that even though they are currently third from bottom of the Celtic League, they are ahead of both Glasgow Rugby and The Borders.
Cullen, the target of some criticism since he arrived in Munster, is included for continuity reasons and the fact that, because of injury, he has played little with the province.
Since arriving in November last year, the former All Black has played only four matches, just one of those in the European Cup.
Ulster, meanwhile, have made a number of changes in their team to face Connacht at Ravenhill tomorrow (7.35 pm) after a disappointing defeat in Cardiff two weeks ago.
Coach Alan Solomons has made four changes to the back line, with the inclusion of Ireland under-21 winger Tommy Bowe on the left attracting a fair amount of attention. The youngest member of the Ulster squad is just back from Ireland's under-21 Six Nations campaign and will make his first competitive Ulster start.
Bryn Cunningham returns to the full-back position, having recovered from an eye injury picked up against Edinburgh almost three weeks ago, while Ireland winger Tyrone Howe is out of action with a knee injury.
He is replaced by Scott Young, with Séamus Mallon coming into the centre ahead of Shane Stewart. Scrumhalf Kieran Campbell comes in for Neil Doak and partners Ireland outhalf David Humphreys.
In the pack, Ronan McCormack is named along with former Ireland A team-mates Paul Shields and Simon Best to make up an unfamiliar front row, Best switching from tight head to his preferred position at loose-head prop.
An ankle injury to Matt McCullough allows Rowan Frost partner Gary Longwell in the second row, while Roger Wilson makes a welcome return to action at number eight.
THE TEAMS
MUNSTER: C Cullen; S Payne, R Henderson, J Kelly, A Horgan; J Holland, E Reddan; F Roche, J Flannery, G McIlwham, T Hogan, D Pusey, S Keogh, C McMahon, P Malone. Replacements: R Callaghan, M Cahill, T Hayes, M Melbourne, F Murphy, C O'Sullivan, M McPhail.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; S Young, S Mallon, P Steinmetz, T Bowe; D Humphreys, K Campbell; R McCormack, P Shields, S Best, G Longwell, R Frost, A Ward (capt), N McMillan, N Wilson. Replacements: N Brady, R Moore, T Barker, N Best, N Doak, P Wallace, J Topping.
