Munster entering critical period
Thanks to a narrow four-point victory against Edinburgh Rugby a fortnight ago, Munster’s bid for Magners League glory remains firmly on track.

 However with four significantly difficult away fixtures looming large, against Cardiff Blues, Ulster, Leinster and Connacht respectively, any thoughts of regaining the title must remain on hold for at least another six weeks or so.

When you add in the daunting trip to Kingsholm to face Gloucester in the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup at the beginning of April, it’s obvious that Munster’s season has now entered a critical stage.

Away form over the past two years both in the Magners League and European Cup has been less than convincing and if the province is to harbour serious hopes of securing glory on both fronts then performance levels away from home must become more clinical.

The first of those five pivotal away games takes place on Saturday evening when Declan Kidney’s side travels to Wales to take on a Cardiff side also high in confidence.

The Blues are just one place behind Munster in the Magners League and they too have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. While the visitors will be without the majority of their Irish internationals for this weekend’s game, the home side will have the luxury of calling on some of their Welsh counterparts for the game at the Arms Park.

Selection policies
One of the reasons that Cardiff have performed so consistently this year has been due to the selection policies adopted by club director of rugby, David Young.

He has introduced a delightful balance of youthful enthusiasm and hard-nosed experience within his side. International stars such as Gethin Jenkins, Scott Morgan and Martyn Williams have provided a back-bone within the pack. With their captain, Xavier Rush, guaranteeing the side forward momentum from the number eight position, the Blues have thrived upon bullying opposition sides into submission.

In the backline the usual suspects of Jamie Robinson, Tom Shanklin and Ben Blair have been joined by the exciting talents of Gareth Thomas and Jamie Roberts.

While many of the plaudits this season have been heaped upon the high-flying Neath Swansea/Ospreys, the Cardiff Blues have quietly gone about their business in a professional and ruthless manner. As this campaign begins to enter the business stage of proceedings, the Blues remain a serious threat in all competitions.

Build on Edinburgh
From a Munster perspective, they’ll be hoping to build on the hard-fought victory achieved in Edinburgh last Friday week. The squad will have been boosted by the recent return to fitness of Paul O’Connell.

Following his thirty-minute cameo in the Six Nations against Scotland last Saturday, the province’s captain should be in line to continue his rehabilitation with a starting slot in Wales this weekend.