With Munster’s Heineken Cup campaign momentarily back on track, thoughts quickly turn back to the Magners League and Saturday evening’s game at home to Newport/Gwent Dragons. Declan Kidney’s side have enjoyed mixed fortunes in their domestic league so far this season.

The loss of twelve front-line players during the recent World Cup seemed to do little harm to Munster’s performance levels as the province successfully navigated their way through their first two fixtures. An opening day victory at home to the Scarlets was quickly followed up six days later with an impressive fight-back against this weekend’s opposition, the Dragons. In a strange twist of fate, it wasn’t until the international stars began to reappear on the horizon that results took a turn for the worse. Successive defeats on the road, to the Ospreys and Glasgow respectively, severely dented title aspirations but a hard-fought victory against Edinburgh three weeks ago appears to have stemmed the tide.

For this weekend’s clash at Musgrave Park, Munster will be keen to maintain their current performance levels. Last Sunday’s impressive victory over an experimental Clermont Auvergne highlighted a number of interesting factors. Alan Quinlan gave a man-of-the-match performance under the watchful eye of Eddie O’Sullivan. The Clanwilliam man serving a timely reminder to the Irish coach ahead of next season’s Six Nations. Everything lacking from the national side’s performances in the recent World Cup was displayed in abundance in Limerick last Sunday. Quinlan was omnipresent, both in the loose and upfront.

Hyper-competitive at the breakdown, he also exerted controlled aggression both on the floor and in the tackle. A beaming smile and raised fist to the newly formed East stand upon being substituted with five minutes remaining said it all.

With their out-half back to his previous best, their pack rediscovering its ruthless dominance and an ageless full-back scoring for fun, Munster seem to be in the right frame of mind for an arduous four-week campaign. Over the next month, Kidney’s side faces a barrage of season-shaping encounters both in the Magners League and in Europe. Two local derbies, along with back-to-back games against the Scarlets will truly examine this current revival of fortunes. Their mental and physical strength will be tested to the limit and only then will the rugby public discover if this side has truly recovered from the disappointment of the recent World Cup debacle.

However first-things-first, and the visit of the Dragons this weekend offers the chance to claim some crucial Magners League points and an opportunity to close the gap on the early pacesetters. A victory is a must for the home side both for their title aspirations and as a confidence building exercise. The following Friday, Cork plays host to the most eagerly awaited clash of the season when Brian O’Driscoll, Felipe Contepomi and co come to town. It’s a fixture the whole Irish rugby public have been waiting for and it promises to be an explosive encounter. This Saturday’s game in Musgrave Park offers the perfect appetiser.

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