Time for the real Munster to stand up

Celtic League: A scratchy, tryless victory over last season's bottom team, followed by a four-try dissection of last season's champions which at times scaled dizzying heights, and then an error-strewn thrashing at the hands of Glasgow.

After all that, it is tempting to ask: will the real Munster please stand up? Granted, it applies to almost all the teams bar Ulster (two wins out of two) in what has been a strikingly inconsistent and unpredictable start to the campaign.

That's no bad thing necessarily, as the debate about the "boring" Premiership across the water testifies. Nor should Munster's results be taken strictly at face value. The Borders look a good deal tougher than last season, the Ospreys came to Cork depleted and distracted by two more games in a week, and Glasgow are capable of springing something like that, when most Munster errors were punished. Maybe it was a blip.

Munster have probably traded and relied more on emotional energy than most - all the more so if there's a whiff of animosity in the air - witness their epic, yet clear-headed European Cup triumphs, especially in the Thomond Park bearpit. So when the cock-a-hoop Ospreys, and their talkative coach Lynn Jones, wandered into town, Munster were well up for it.

By comparison, the motivational juices didn't appear to be flowing for the Borders or Glasgow, when it almost seemed as if Munster needed a row to get them going. Sport is littered with individuals who played better when, well, angry (think of John McEnroe) and Munster wouldn't be unique in a team context. On the back of a bad performance, there's usually a trademark "reaction".

True, it's not the scheduled or more spiritual home of the vandalised Thomond Park, but in the Celtic League Munster have arguably been better supported in Musgrave Park anyway, and are on a 15-match winning "home" run dating back to the 27-all draw with Connacht a year ago.

Further reinforcements come by way of seasonal starts for the Lions' quartet of Ronan O'Gara, John Hayes, Paul O'Connell and Donncha O'Callaghan in a beefy looking pack, with Federico Pucciariello moving from tight-head to openside as Declan Kidney makes eight changes in personnel, and three positional.

Peter Stringer also returns at scrumhalf but, nonetheless, there's a curious look to the Munster backline, with Denis Leamy being tried out for a second time at outside centre to accommodate Anthony Foley's return. Shannon's Kilkenny-born, 22-year-old Ian Dowling, a try-scorer in Munster A's 7-5 win over their Edinburgh counterparts last Monday, makes his debut in place of the injured Anthony Horgan. The 22-year-old Barry Murphy moves from wing to fullback in the absence of Shaun Payne (slight shoulder injury), with John Kelly restored on the right and Tomás O'Leary, 21-year-old son of Cork hurling legend Seánie O'Leary, could make his competitive debut for Munster off the bench.

Llanelli recall Matthew Watkins in a reshuffled three-quarterline at centre as well as Mike Hercus at outhalf and Hottie Louw for former Tongan captain Inoke Afeaki at lock, Llanelli look the more settled.

The Scarlets have been a bit of a bogey side for Munster, winning three of four league meetings, although Munster did beat them quite handsomely in the Celtic Cup final. And generally, when there's a meaningful barometer of Munster's well-being, they pass the test.

MUNSTER: B Murphy; J Kelly, D Leamy, T Halstead, I Dowling; R O'Gara, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, A Quinlan, D Wallace, A Foley. Replacements: M Horan, J Flannery, T Hogan, M O'Driscoll, T O'Leary, P Burke, R Henderson.

LLANELLI: L Byrne; D James, M Watkins, R King, T Selley; M Hercus, C Stuart-Smith; I Thomas, A Gravelle, J Davis, H louw, A Jones, J Mills, A Popham, S Easterby (capt). Replacements: D Williams, C Hawkins, C Wyatt, G Quinnell, L Davis, G Bowen, D Daniels.

Referee: Andy Ireland (SRU).

Head-to-head: (03-04) (CL) (Thomond Park) Munster 12 Llanelli Scarlets 19: Llanelli Scarlets 37 Munster 20. (04-05) (CL) (Thomond Park) Munster 19 Llanelli Scarlets 13; Llanelli Scarlets 32 Munster 17; (CCup final) (Lansdowne Road) Munster 27 Llanelli Scarlets 16.

Formguide: Munster: 9-7 v Borders (h); 37-10 v Ospreys (h); 10-32 v Glasgow (a). Llanelli: 15-21 v Edinburgh (h); 24-15 v Borders (a); 16-20 v Cardiff (a); 25-17 v Connacht (h).

Leading try scorers: Munster: Anthony Horgan 2; Llanelli: Barry Davies, Lee Byrne 2 each.

Leading points scorers: Munster: Paul Burke 24; Llanelli: Mike Hercus 19.

Forecast: Munster to win.