Celtic League Previews: Munster coach Alan Gaffney would have welcomed game time for Rob Henderson - the opportunity to assess how the Ireland and Lions centre has recovered from an arm injury is particularly important with the Heineken European Cup starting next weekend.
Henderson has not played since suffering the injury against Leinster in the opening round of the Celtic League and, though he was named in an extended list of replacements, it was yesterday confirmed he would not be in the match 22. It is another irritant in what has been a very trying 12 months for Henderson.
Gaffney will welcome the return of his national squad members and even allowing for the late defection of John Kelly and Anthony Horgan is able to field a side that will bear some resemblance to the XV that will take the field in the opening European Cup match against Bourgoin in France tomorrow week.
Frankie Sheahan, Donncha O'Callaghan and David Wallace will be looking forward to some much-sought-after action on the pitch following largely peripheral roles in Australia.
Cardiff have been poor away from home but the return of Rhys Williams, Tom Shanklin, Iestyn Harris and Martyn Williams, among others, from World Cup duty will give the team a stronger spine. The Welsh club haven't included their top try scorer, wing Lee Abdul, in the match 22 but have a fit-again Craig Quinnell on the bench.
Cardiff should be technically adept at set-pieces, and in Harris at outhalf they have a potential game-breaker. The Irish squad players will have put behind them the rigours of Australia and, finding themselves again in the red jersey, old habits, including winning, should quickly return.
MUNSTER: J Staunton; S Payne, M Mullins, J Holland, M Lawler; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell; J Williams (capt), A Foley, D Wallace.
CARDIFF: R Williams; T Shanklin, J Robinson, M Allen, C Morgan; I Harris, R Powell; J Yapp, G Williams, D Crompton; H Senekal, A Moore; D Baugh, N Thomas, M Williams (capt).
Referee: I Ramage (Scotland).
Leading points scorers: Munster - J Staunton 97. Cardiff - N Robinson 78.
Leading try scorers: Munster - M Mullins 3. Cardiff - L Abdul 6.
Verdict: Munster.
Munster v Cardiff
Musgrave Park, Today, 7.35
On TV: TG4
