Tommy O’Donnell may be due to make his 100th appearance for Munster against Benetton Treviso on Saturday but the back row admits he is wary of the Italian side spoiling the party.

While the hosts are looking to maintain their charge for a GUINNESS PRO12 semi-final spot with victory at Irish Independent Park, O’Donnell insists the visitors will be fired up to pull off a shock win.

The Munstermen are boosted by the return of Donnacha Ryan from injury to partner Billy Holland in the second row, with Peter O’Mahony, O’Donnell and CJ Stander making up an imperious back row.

Two further changes see Stephen Archer coming into the front row and academy player Rory Scannell promoted to partner Andrew Smith in midfield as Munster look to increase their winning streak at the newly rebuilt Irish Independent Park to nine games.

And although Munster have lost just one of their last seven GUINNESS PRO12 fixtures, O’Donnell believes they will have to be wary of a Treviso side chasing their own season goals.

“Every game from here on in is going to be big. We know what we are targeting — we are targeting a semi-final and final. Every game is about playing for the top four,” he said.

“Treviso are playing to be in the Champions Cup next season. They have to try and stay ahead of Zebre. It’s going to be a tough game and a physical battle.

“We have to go out and give our best performance, try and keep our noses in front, be as good as we can be.

“If you approach it in the wrong way, it will be a slip up. But we are not approaching it in a lackadaisical way. We have a strong team out, we know what we have to do.

“Treviso will come over here and put in a physical battle. We have watched their games. They do that. They are a tough team, hard to break down.

“You have to go out there and give your all, then look for the gaps when the game is getting to a high intensity.”

Treviso face a tough ask as they look to end a run of four consecutive GUINNESS PRO12 defeats and pick up their first away win against Munster in 15 attempts.

Yet head coach Umberto Casellato has kept faith in the starting XV that threatened Ospreys for long periods last time out, with the only changes seeing Jose Novak and Marco Lazzaroni come onto the bench.

And with a settled team to overcome this weekend, Keith Earls admits Munster head coach Anthony Foley has warned his troops about straying their attention to an intriguing derby with Ulster next time out.

“They’re a very physical team like all Italian sides, that’s an area we will have to match them but the main thing is to look after ourselves and hopefully we will get the result,” he said.

“Anthony Foley has us warned to keep an eye on only one match and that’s this weekend.

“We get the result this weekend and it will put us in a good position for a top-four finish, so I don’t think we dare talk of Ulster and Newport Gwent Dragons.

“This is all about focusing on the Treviso game. It’s going to be each game as it comes, we have a break next week and we will look at Ulster then.”

At Irish Independent Park, 3.05pm Live on TG4/Nuvolari
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 5th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Dudley Phillips, Brian MacNeice (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Wayne Sheriden (IRFU)
TMO: Kevin Beggs (IRFU)

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