Mike Phillips faces a tough battle against Munster's Tomas O'Leary © Getty Images

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Matches: Munster 11 - 15 Ospreys

Tournaments/Tours: Magners League

Teams: Ireland | Munster | Ospreys | Wales

The Magners League play-off race is reaching a crescendo and two of the tournament's big hitters face off this weekend with only points difference separating them in the table.

The second-placed Ospreys travel to face reigning champions Munster at their Thomond Park fortress and have plenty to prove. After defeat to Leinster last weekend and Heineken Cup agony at the hands of Biarritz there is plenty riding on this game for the Welsh region, with success expected by the Liberty Stadium faithful.

As a result coach Ospreys coach Sean Holley has selected his strongest possible side as they attempt to expunge the memories of their Heineken Cup hammering at Thomond in 2009. Ryan Jones leads the side from their combative back-row, where All Blacks Jerry Collins and Marty Holah are again in action. The greater physical presence of Ian Gough has seen him preferred to Alun Wyn Jones in the second-row while Adam Jones is joined up front by Paul James and Huw Bennett.

Munster are again without their talismanic lock Paul O'Connell, but they will as always present a serious physical challenge to the visitors, who have not won in Munster since 2004. Mick O'Driscoll continues to deputise for O'Connell and is joined in the second-row by Donncha O'Callaghan. The back-row battle will be fierce as the nuggety Alan Quinlan and powerful David Wallace prepare to battle Collins and Holah.

The Ospreys appear to have the edge in the backs on paper, where Munster are still without Keith Earls due to injury. Lifeimi Mafi wears No.13 as a result and is joined in midfield by Springbok Jean de Villiers. The settled Ospreys pairing of James Hook and Andrew Bishop will be out to get the upper hand and will be relying on Dan Biggar to step up against Munster's veteran pivot Ronan O'Gara. There will also be fireworks as Mike Phillips takes on Munster scrum-half Tomas O'Leary, with their physicality likely to be liberally employed by both sides.

All of Ireland knows the threat posed out wide by Tommy Bowe and Shane Williams, while there will be an interesting clash of styles at fullback as the supreme tactical kicker Paul Warwick looks to outwit Lee Byrne.

"The boys fronted up well last week, to play three games in such a short space of time," Holley said. "You could argue that we should have got three wins, but that wasn't to be. We've obviously been through all the emotions over the last couple of weeks, but this is a pretty tight knit group, they are playing for each other and for the supporters, the Ospreys shirt means a lot to them.

"They've had a few days to get over the physical effort last week and to be honest with you they are raring to go again. At this stage of the season, with everything to play for, you want to send out your strongest available side, and we are fortunate that thanks to the efforts of our medical and conditioning teams we've got a pretty clear treatment room which is obviously good for us as we look to make one final push."

Munster: P Warwick; T Gleeson, L Mafi, J De Villiers, S Deasy; R O'Gara (capt), T O'Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll; A Quinlan, D Wallace, J Coughlan

Replacements: D Varley, J Brugnaut, B Holland, N Ronan, P Stringer, D Hurley, S Zebo

Ospreys: L Byrne; T Bowe, A Bishop, J Hook, S Williams; D Biggar, M Phillips; P James, H Bennett, A Jones, I Gough, J Thomas, J Collins, M Holah, R Jones (capt)

Replacements: E Shervington, R Bevington, AW Jones, F Tiatia, J Nutbrown, S Parker, N Walker