Munster have too much to lose as Cardiff come calling

If Munster’s lose tonight, they are in danger of falling out of the top four. The five teams chasing Ulster are tightly packed but Cardiff arrive having not won on Munster soil since a visit to Musgrave Park in October 2007.

Ronan O’Gara is preferred to Ian Keatley to start at outhalf and becomes Munster’s most capped player with his 234th cap. Coach Rob Penney has stuck with just four players from last week, captain Doug Howlett, centre James Downey, scrumhalf Conor Murray and flanker Tommy O’Donnell. Keith Earls returns from injury to partner Downey at outside centre, while CJ Stander also returns and is on the bench.

It’s an important game for Earls as players begin to slip into Six Nations mode and with Brian O’Driscoll having made his comeback yesterday in Edinburgh, there’s a lot hinging on the next couple of matches for the two players.

Cardiff arrive with their own heavyweights returning from injury, notably Jamie Roberts and Leigh Halfpenny. Roberts, O’Driscoll’s old Lions partner, returns at centre, after an elbow injury. Halfpenny earns his place on the bench having also recovered from a neck/shoulder injury.

Roberts forms a new centre partnership with Richard Smith, who is set to make his starting debut. With Sam Warburton and Bradley Davies in the pack, Cardiff means business. But decent first-phase ball for O’Gara to control and the home side can squeeze the points out of Musgrave Park.

MUNSTER: F Jones; D Howlett (c), K Earls, J Downey, J Murphy; R O’Gara, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, M Sherry, S Archer; D Foley, D Ryan; T O’Donnell, S Dougall, J Coughlan. Replacements: S Henry, W du Preez, BJ Botha, B Holland, CJ Stander, D Williams, I Keatley, C Laulala

CARDIFF BLUES: J Tovey, O Williams, R Smith, J Roberts, H Robinson; R Patchell, L Jones; S Hobbs, R Williams, B Bourrust, B Davies, L Reed, J Navidi, S Warburton, R Copeland. Replacements: K Dacey, P Tamba, S Andrews, J Down, L Hamilton, A Walker, C Sweeney, L Halfpenny. Referee: N Owens (WRU). Verdict: Munster