Pack strength is key factor as Edinburgh eye Munster scalp

MUSGRAVE Park is where Munster go to win the hearts and minds of Cork, and few places provide a better blend of opportunity and test of mettle for Edinburgh and the fringe players who wish to be part of the new era under Rob Moffat.

The men from southern Ireland have been keen to spread the message this week that it was this time last year where they picked up their title challenge, taking advantage of their enviable strength in depth and the lack of it with others to push on to an unassailable position in the Magners League eight points clear of runners-up Edinburgh.

Irish provinces work hard to remain competitive in the Heineken Cup and stay in touch in the Magners League, and the move to play-offs – where they need only stay in the top four by May – has helped. But the key to how they do it is through building up a squad, with significant resources drawn from the European success, that has the ability to carry the club through the international windows and rest periods for leading players.

Edinburgh have included four players who were involved in Scotland's clash with Wales on Saturday, in Jim Hamilton, Alan MacDonald, Allan Jacobsen and Mike Blair, the first two starting and the other pair on the bench, which has enhanced their squad as it copes without a clutch of injured personnel.

Munster have no players from Ireland's heavy defeat in Paris, but can still start tonight with slick Australian Paul Warwick and veteran Peter Stringer at half-back, while Ireland prop Marcus Horan continues his return from injury with a start.

• Edinburgh team to face Munster

Munster have a fine record at home, having not lost in 12 months, but Edinburgh are one of the few teams to have had success in the Emerald Isle, beating Munster in Limerick in 2006 and coming very close in Cork in 2007. The key to victory this time will be the same as it was then – the forward pack's ability to take Munster on and beat them, and ensure the home backs spend most of the night defending.

Munster's strength is with a back line in which Stringer and Warwick will be desperate to release the southern hemisphere talents of Doug Howlett, Lifeimi Mafi and Jean de Villiers, but Edinburgh have a good front five with Kyle Traynor and Geoff Cross eminently capable of making life difficult for Horan and Tony Buckley, and Hamilton and Scott MacLeod the kind of hard-edged players needed for a battle with Munster skipper Mick O'Driscoll and Donnacha Ryan.

The home back row is a mix of veteran campaigners and fringe men in Alan Quinlan, Niall Ronan and No8 James Coughlan, but one that Edinburgh's young trio of MacDonald, Roddy Grant and David Callam should be looking to dominate.

Clearly, it is easier said than done. Munster are never an easy team to beat, even when opponents enjoy long spells on top, but Edinburgh, currently third in the table and two points ahead of Munster but with an extra game played, have endured a rocky ride over the festive period and, with contracts up for grabs, know they need to push the accelerator down now if they are to finish the season with play-off excitement.

Meanwhile, Munster team manager Shaun Payne remains wary of the challenge Edinburgh will present tonight.

"They travel with a very strong looking side and I think that indicates their intentions," he said. "It's such a competitive league now, all the sides have improved over the years but perhaps particularly Edinburgh and Glasgow. Edinburgh are third in the table and I believe they'll travel with a fair degree of confidence. But we're looking forward to it. It'll be good to get back playing again. It should be a cracking game."

Munster: D Hurley; D Howlett, L Mafi, J de Villiers, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; M Horan, D Fogarty, T Buckley; D Ryan, M O'Driscoll capt; A Quinlan, N Ronan, J Coughlan. Subs: M Sherry, J Brugnaut, B Holland, T O'Donnell, D Williams, S Deasy, T Gleeson.