Hi °C | Lo °C The lessons of Munster's Heineken Cup semi-final defeat have been well learned.
On that soggy Sunday in San Sebastian, Biarritz carried out the perfect mugging.
Minus their backline figurehead Damien Traille and with forward inspiration Imanol Harinordoquy wrapped in a cloak if injury, the Basques devised a simple, but hugely effective, gameplan.
It revolved around keeping pace with the 2008 champions for 50 minutes and then unleashing an impact-laden bench to drive them over the line.
The upshot was Munster losing a match they know they should have won and, having had two weeks to pore over the findings, the southerners have reacted accordingly.
The evidence is in Tony McGahan's selection for tonight's Magners League semi-final showdown with Leinster at the RDS (8). Hooker Jerry Flannery and flanker David Wallace are relegated to the bench as are the in-form pair of winger Denis Hurley and number eight James Coughlan.
Given that Wallace and Hurley were both rolled out for media duties midweek and that McGahan took time out to emphasise the strides taken by Coughlan this season, it is fair to say that these calls constitute a surprise. However, what it has done is provide McGahan with a back-up plan.
Leinster justifiably start as favourites based on their consistent form over the season and an RDS league record that has not seen them defeated since Munster's 18-0 victory in September 2008.
It leaves Munster in the position that Biarritz found themselves in a fortnight ago and their intention will be to stay in touch up until 10-15 minutes after half-time before an injection of dynamism through the Flannery, Wallace, Coughlan, Peter Stringer and Hurley. Keith Earls starts in the centre next to Jean De Villiers, continuing the Limerick man's one-game-in-two trend as he battles a groin injury.
His availability is a boost to McGahan given that Leinster start their stellar combination of Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy and Hurley is ready to come onto the wing with Mafi switching to centre should Earls be forced out. The Leinster team runs along expected lines with the return of Jonathan Sexton to the out-half slot a huge lift for player, province and Irish coach Declan Kidney ahead of the summer tour.
