Magners League / Hugh Cahill / 26 November 2008 / Leave a comment

With the International Series over for Ireland, the Magners League returns to centre-stage. Hugh Cahill looks ahead to the games that await the Provinces and highlights his best bet.

Ireland's involvement in the autumn test series has come to an end and the players were sent back to their respective provinces on Monday.

It may seem strange to say it, but I think there is a collective sense of relief among the players that the Internationals have finished up. Despite Declan Kidney's best efforts, there was a lot of pressure heaped on the squad, not only to perform well under the new coach, but also to get results ahead of the World cup draw next week.

Pressure and expectation doesn't often sit well with the Ireland rugby team and one suspects that the last month has taken its toll on them both physically and mentally. Two wins out of three is a very acceptable outcome from what could have been an altogether different story if Ireland hadn't beaten Argentina last Saturday. Fresh, happy faces going in to the match against Canada over three weeks ago were replaced by glum, tired frowns leaving Croke Park at the weekend.

The Magners' League games this weekend might be just the tonic.

Munster travel to Wales on Friday night for a tough match against the Llanelli Scarlets. Tony McGahan has included nine returning internationals in his squad, along with Denis Leamy and Frankie Sheehan who were both involved in the Munster game against the All Blacks last week. Were it not for the back to back Heineken Cup games against Clermont Auverne on December 6th and 12th, McGahan might well have granted O'Gara, O'Connell and Co. a bit of a rest this weekend but, as it stands, the Scarlets represent the last chance to see his side in action before those two crucial games next month. Tired as they may be, Munster don't have the luxury of time to lick their wounds after a bruising international campaign. It's straight back to the bread and butter stuff of the Magners League and there can be no excuses for a poor performance in Wales.

The Scarlets, on the other hand, have problems of their own. Wales take on Australia at the Millenium stadium this weekend which means Mark Jones, Stephen Jones, Mathew Rees, Dafydd Jones and Martin Roberts are all ruled out. That's five first team regulars in critical positions who won't be available for selection. Given Munster have an almost fully fit squad to choose from (Jerry Flannery and Rua Tupoki aside) and Tony McGahan anxious to create a winning mentality going in to the Heineken Cup, I expect Munster to come out on top.

Leinster have also named a strong squad for their match against the Dragons in the RDS on Saturday. Like Tony McGahan, Michael Cheika has one eye on the Heineken Cup games against Castres in two weeks time and this home game is ideal preparation.

Rocky Elsom and CJ Van Der Linde have both been included as well as Brian O'Driscoll, Rob Kearney, Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey, Malcolm O'Kelly and Bernard Jackman. Horgan and Jackman in particular will be eager to impress given their lack of game time in a green jersey and this represents the perfect opportunity to unleash any frustration they might harbor from sitting on the Ireland bench.

The Dragons are second from bottom in the Magners League table with just two wins from five games so far this season. They don't like traveling and have a very poor record when they come to Leinster - this time last season there was 35 points between the sides. This one will be over by half-time.

Ulster and Connacht lock horns in Ravenhill on Friday night. These two have been battling each other for the last Irish Heineken Cup spot for the past three seasons and it's the bane of every Connacht supporter's life that they've failed to capitalise on Ulster's horrible form earlier this year.

Matt Williams will have been pleased with their last home victory over Munster which lifts them up to third from bottom but more importantly, they are now three points clear of Connacht in the table.

One of Ulster's biggest problems this year has been place kicking but like everything else, when the confidence is not there, nothing seems to work. Matt Williams has freely admitted his side haven't been firing on all cylinders since he took over but the Australian has to be given time to make things work. Ravenhill is a really tough place to go and get a result and I just don't see Connacht having the fire power to grab the win they so desperately need.

Recommended: Munster, Leinster, Ulster Win Treble.