Settled Leicester may have the edge

Pool four/ Leicester v Munster: A true heavyweight collision to set the Heineken European Cup rolling. Two-time winners at home to reigning champions, the European standard-bearers from England and Munster with 144 matches and 15 appearances in the knock-out stages between them.

Add in one of the great bear pits of the European stage, a whiff of cordite in the air which has been stoked up further this week, and this may not be pretty. But from first minute to last it is liable to be absorbing.

Ronan O'Gara's respect for Leicester amid his general comments regarding an English superiority complex, heaven forbid, were assuredly lost in translation and, like Munster, the Tigers will be up for this in a major way. Richard Cockerill, the voluble Leicester assistant coach, will not be the only one seeking blood. The first man to make a big hit on O'Gara himself is assuredly on bonus money, and in the general fall-out Nigel Owens and his assistants will do well to avert a scrap or two. Munster are now the ones opponents want to bring down. It goes with their new territory as European champions. Leicester don't tug the forelock to anyone, and they will readily recall Munster's 20-7 victory in this ground at the quarter-final stages four seasons ago.

By the end, when Peter Stringer was touching down for the decisive try and Ronan O'Gara launched the ball into the red army mostly congregated at that end of the ground, Welford Road appeared to turn red. It will be a surprise if Leicester's ticket allocation allows a reprise, but Munster are assured of at least 2,500 supporters tomorrow. There'll be no more crackling atmosphere in Europe this weekend.

Little about Munster's form suggests they are ready for this searing opening test. Their use of the ball became predictable against Edinburgh, they still lack a cutting edge, their defensive organisation and front-up tackling has dropped a few notches; ditto their clearing out at ruck time and even their accuracy at lineout time.

They are also missing Jerry Flannery's energy and dynamic ball-carrying, those round-the-corner charges off ruck and maul. They are going to have to dig this performance up from the past. No team in Europe has been hit harder by international demands and injuries; the net result being that this has been the first time, for example, that John Hayes, Paul O'Connell and Ronan O'Gara have started a game together this season. And if the thought of the Tigers in their own lair doesn't concentrate their minds, nothing will. In the white hot intensity of this encounter, they have the wise heads to stay calm.

They know, too, what to expect; an ultra-physical approach from a juggernaut pack - witness a a backrow of bruisers, Louis Deacon, Martin Corry and the abrasive Lewis Moody, which cannot accommodate Shane Jennings.

This will be won and lost in the trenches, and the maul that gets on top will point its team toward the winning line.

Against that, Leicester have an even clearer notion of what to expect, what with Paul Burke (who has been named ahead of Andy Goode), Leo Cullen, Geordan Murphy and Jennings in their ranks. Leicester are by no means impregnable at Welford Road, even if 22 wins and four defeats out of 26 pool games at home is a pretty impressive return. Admittedly they were far from full strength when Leinster won what was effectively a dead rubber for the Tigers seven seasons ago, prior to which Toulouse had won there in 1997-98 while Stade Français and Biarritz also toppled them here three and two seasons ago.

Furthermore, of course, Munster won that quarter-final four seasons ago and both Toulouse and, last season, Bath beat them in the Walkers Stadium in each of the last two seasons. That equates to five home defeats in the last four seasons. The mystique which surrounded the Tigers circa their domestic four-in-a-row of 1999 to 2002, and back-to-back European Cup wins of 2001 and 2002, has long since been eroded.

Leicester have retained their time-honoured capacity to "win ugly". Goode's five penalties out of six overcame the only two tries to Northampton in last Saturday's midlands derby.

On history and form, we have no right to expect Munster to win, although knowing Munster, it could happen. A redemptory performance is within their capabilities.

Were they to at least emerge with their reputations restored and, say, a bonus point in the offing and no miraculous deeds required in the rematch at Thomond Park come January if first place in Pool 4 comes down to it, that would not be the worst outcome. Bring it on.

LEICESTER TIGERS: S Vesty; G Murphy, O Smith, D Gibson, T Varndell; P Burke, S Bemand; M Ayerza, G Chuter, M Castrogiovanni, L Cullen, B Kay, L Deacon, L Moody, M Corry (capt). Replacements: J Buckland, J White, J Crane, S Jennings, H Ellis, A Goode, S Rabeni.

MUNSTER: S Payne; J Kelly, B Murphy, T Halstead, I Dowling; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt), D Leamy, D Wallace, A Foley. Replacements: A Kyriacou, F Pucciariello, M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan, T O'Leary, J Manning, L Mafi.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Previous meetings: (2001-02 final) Leicester 15 Munster 9; (2002-03 q/final) Leicester 7 Munster 20.

European Cup record: Leicester - Winners 2000-01, 2002-03. R/up 1996-97. Munster - Winners 2005-06. R/up 1999-2000, 2001-02. Leading try scorers: Leicester - Leon Lloyd 19, Neil Back, Geordan Murphy 16, Austin Healey 13. Munster - Anthony Foley 22, Anthony Horgan 14, Jason Holland, John Kelly 13 each. Leading points scorers: Leicester - Tim Stimpson 360, Andy Goode 250. Munster - Ronan O'Gara 764. Odds (Paddy Powers): 1/2 Leicester, 20/1 Draw, 6/4 Munster. Handicap - (Munster + 5 pts) 10/11 Leicester, 22/1 Draw, 10/11 Munster. Forecast: Leicester to win.