Ronan O’Gara is set to rewrite the Munster record books again this weekend, but it is the return of Keith Earls that most excited Munster coach Rob Penney ahead of Cardiff Blues’ visit to Musgrave.

Fly-half O’Gara will start in the Munster No.10 shirt on Sunday to make his 234th appearance for the province, becoming their most capped player in the process.

The 35-year-old is joined in the backs by a returning Earls, his Ireland team-mate returning from a groin injury to partner James Downey in the centres.

And Penney admits he is chomping at the bit to see Earls back in action again ahead of a busy period of RaboDirect PRO12 and Heineken Cup action.

"Keith looks good," Penney told the Irish Independent. "He came through the camp last week and on the back of that we held him back because of his history (with injuries).

“But he's come through this week really well and looks excited and ready to go, which is great.

“It's not exactly the same team that will play in the Heineken Cup (against Edinburgh. I've got a more broad brushstroke approach to the selection policy.

“I'm new to the concept of playing two competitions simultaneously and I think we can grow people without compromising either team.

“After we get through the two Heineken Cup games we lose all our internationals, so it would be difficult for the guys who will then fill in for them to do so without any post-Christmas footy.

“We need to balance selections out and that's what we've tried to do this weekend, while also looking to what's coming.”

Penney has opted to blend youth and experience for the visit of Cardiff, with captain Doug Howlett, Downey, scrum-half Conor Murray and Tommy O’Donnell the only four to keep their places from the win over Ulster last time out.

Cardiff Blues’ big guns return for the trip to Munster, with Jamie Roberts and Leigh Halfpenny making the matchday squad.

Roberts starts at centre having recovered from an elbow injury while on Wales duty, while Halfpenny makes the bench after recovering from neck and shoulder injuries picked up in the same defeat to Australia.

Richard Smith will partner Roberts in the centre as he makes his first Blues start, and there is also a new face on the bench in the form of 22-year-old Romanian prop forward Petru Tamba.

And Blues back coach Gareth Baber is looking for a performance ahead of returning to European action.

He said: "We go back into European competition in a week or so and going to Musgrave Park is as good as going to another European destination.

"We want to put a performance in that builds on what we've done over the festive period and progresses us towards where we want to be going.

"The squad has shown what they are capable of and we want to make sure that they are on top of their game when we face Munster."

At Musgrave Park, 7.30pm.
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 91st competition game)
Assistant Referees: Michael Black, John Carvill (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Eddie Walsh (IRFU)
TMO: Jude Quinn (IRFU)

Live on RTE and S4C