Dylan Hartley is ready for Munster © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: Heineken Cup

Teams: England | Ireland | Munster | Northampton Saints

Northampton skipper Dylan Hartley has no fear as he prepares to face Munster in their Heineken Cup quarter-final showdown at Thomond Park.

Munster, champions of Europe in 2006 and 2008, have been beaten only once at home in 15 years of Heineken Cup rugby, by Leicester in 2008, but Hartley insists that the Saints know what they can do. After the two Pool meetings between the sides ended with a narrow home win apiece there remains plenty of motivation for England's sole quarter-final representatives.

"We've been to Thomond Park and we know what Munster are about," said the England hooker. "We've seen the ground and it's not the unknown. We know what to expect. No fear. With every small knock-on and every high kick, the crowd gets on their feet and a massive roar goes up.

"I don't think the Munster 'Dragon' is a myth, it's something that does happen out there. The crowd aren't just their 16th man, they are their 17th, 18th, 19th men. It's a place where you want to play. Everyone knows Thomond is a hard place to go, but as a team what better motivation than securing a semi-final spot and taking a record like that away from them? Not many teams go there and win but we want to do that. The occasion will bring the best out of every player."

Hartley is hoping that there will be plenty of English support as they look to ensure some representation from the Premiership in the last four.

"It would be nice to know England are behind us," he said. "We are underdogs, the new boys on the scene, so I think a few people out there will back us and support us, which is nice to know. It's important for a Premiership club to reach the semis as traditionally there have always been a couple of English teams in the semi-finals. We are lucky enough to have the chance to go through and we'll do all we can to win this game."

Saints boss Jim Mallinder has a conundrum at fly-half as both Stephen Myler and Shane Geraghty are pressing their claims, but Hartley believes that Myler's superior game management should see him preferred.

"The difference between Myler and Geraghty is that Shane has the flair, but personally for me I think Stephen controls the game slightly better," he said. "Then you have people like Shane who you can bring on and turn the game on its head."