Munster captain Damian Varley insists there will be no easing up in their final RaboDirect PRO12 game of the regular season, especially with rivals Ulster the visitors to Thormond Park. Munster are guaranteed a top-three finish, with victory on Saturday and other results going their way seeing them secure top spot and with it a home semi-final. Ulster themselves have also secured a play-off birth with fourth place sewn up but Varley knows they cannot afford to get distracted. The Munstermen’s last three matches in the RaboDirect PRO12 have all been won by the away side, while they were defeated by Glasgow Warriors 5-22 in their most recent home game. To try and avoid losing back to back RaboDirect PRO12 contests in Limerick for the first time since April 2010, head coach Rob Penney has made ten changes to the starting XV that beat Edinburgh 55-12 last weekend. Dave Kilcoyne and Varley come into the front row for James Cronin and Duncan Casey, while Dave Foley teams up with Paul O’Connell in the second row and Paddy Butler moves from 8 to 6. The midfield sees the return of James Downey and Casey Laulala with full back Felix Jones also back in the team having sat out last week. And with Ulster looking to complete a first season’s double over the Munstermen since 2008/2009, Varley expects a tough challenge. “It is a Munster v Ulster clash," he says. "It is not one they will want to roll over in. We would definitely expect their best 15 to come down. "Ulster have a lot of points to prove as well. Some decisions have gone against them which have put them in a difficult position to finish a game when you are playing with 13 or 14 men. "Ulster are really going to attack us up front, particularly in the line-out and maul area. "They are going to try and attack us out wide because that is where we failed the last time. As always when Munster and Ulster play it is going to be a physical game." Ulster come into the game looking to build up some much needed momentum ahead of the play-offs, with just one win from their last four RaboDirect PRO12 matches. They have also lost their last two away games, at Cardiff Blues and Glasgow Warriors, and have also rung the changes, with 12 new faces. There is a completely new backline with Craig Gilroy starting at fullback, David McIlwaine on the right wing, Rory Scholes on the left and Michael Allen and Stuart McCloskey starting in the centre. Up front Callum Black starts at loosehead, Lewis Stevenson partners captain Dan Tuohy in the second row while Mike McCormish and Sean Doyle start either side of Nick Williams in the back row. Bronson Ross has recovered from neck surgery and is selected on the bench with loosehead prop Black also aware of the importance of bragging rights. “It is a nothing game in the standings," Black said. “But we need to put in a good performance leading into the semi-final and being a derby against Munster, the atmosphere down there will be massive and they could change positions so there will certainly be big motivation for them to get a result. "There are a lot of young boys going to be involved for us who are champing at the bit to show what they are about. "It's Munster away and we're going there for the win.” At Thomond Park, 6.30pm. Live on RTE/BBC NI Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 110th competition game) Assistant Referees: Dudley Phillips, Gary Conway (both IRFU) Citing Commissioner: Eddie Walsh (WRU) TMO: Alan Rogan (IRFU)
