Same Again For Munster

Perhaps not surprisingly Tony McGahan keeps faith with the same 23, that delivered the bonus point win last weekend, for tomorrow’s crucial Heineken Cup clash with Castres Olympique.

The one area that would have caused him to ponder would have been the second row and whether to start Donnacha Ryan or Donncha O'Callaghan, who made such an impression when he came on as a first half replacement against Treviso, but Ryan gets the nod to partner skipper Paul O'Connell.

O'Connell took little part in the field session this weeks as he nursed a gash on his knee. Niall Ronan was another on the easy list though he did train today in Musgrave Park.

From Munster's point of view it's solely a question of getting the win they know will edge them closer to a place in the quarter final. And depending on how things go in the Scarlets/Northampton game in Parc Y Scarlets, a win tomorrow could secure qualification before Munster have to go to Milton Keynes.

If Munster win and Scarlets lose, or if Scarlets win without the bonus, then McGahan's side are through to the quarter finals.

But Ronan accepts that as things stand, they are guaranteed nothing yet. " Of course the expectation is there among the supporters. We're at home, top of the group and all that. But we know we still have to put in a performance. We don't know what sort of a side they'll send over but we do know they're not going to come over and roll over. If they get momentum and get their tails up we know what they're capable of doing.".

Munster: D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O'Connell capt; P O'Mahony, N Ronan, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, Donncha O'Callaghan, B Holland, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.