Pictured above: Ronan O'Gara, the Heineken Cup's record points scorer, talks with Munster coach Declan Kidney at Wednesday's training session at Temple Hill in Cork.

Munster, the Pool 4 leaders, meet the Cardiff Blues this Sunday at the Arms Park (kick-off 1pm). Kidney is monitoring injuries to Barry Murphy, David Wallace, Federico Pucciariello and John Kelly ahead of the Welsh trip.

He said: "We'll see how they've reacted after training and try to make some final decisions closer to the weekend. That's the nature of it now. Ideally you'd be naming out full teams at the start of the week but when you have the games week in, week out you just have to wait until mid-week to see how fellows are."



Italian international prop Federico Pucciariello arrives for training in Cork. The 31-year-old, who was born in Rosario in Argentina and now lives in Limerick, sustained a hamstring injury during the second half of Munster's Magners League win over Connacht last week.

But he is expected to be fit to line out on the loosehead side of the Munster scrum against Cardiff. The well-travelled Pucciariello has played for four different teams in Europe - Narbonne and Gloucester in the Challenge Cup, and Bourgoin and Munster in the Heineken Cup.



A heartening sight for Munster and Ireland fans alike - hooker Jerry Flannery in training in Cork. The Limerick man is working his way back to full fitness after having shoulder surgery.

He has not played for Munster since last May's league win over Cardiff at Thomond Park, but is edging closer to a return.



Ronan O'Gara has so far tallied up 786 points over ten seasons of Heineken Cup rugby. The San Diego-born out-half has also bagged 344 points in the Celtic/Magners League and Celtic Cup, taking the Munster points scoring record to a whopping 1130 points.

With those kind of statistics, he will certainly be a marked man at the Arms Park. Cardiff Blues captain Xavier Rush admitted: "We've got a massive hurdle to clear. Munster proved they were the best side in Europe last season by beating Biarritz in the final and they have won their opening two matches in this season's competition so they are very much a form side.

"Their top players were in good shape in the autumn internationals so as a team they will be a very hard prospect for us on Sunday. Ronan O'Gara, at number 10, directs their game plan and he is a key man for them."



Former Springbok Trevor Halstead stretches before the session at Temple Hill. The 30-year-old centre wrote his name into Munster folklore last May by scoring in the Heineken Cup final win over Biarritz - he also dotted down tries against Castres and Leinster on the road to the Cardiff decider.

Halstead showed good form as a replacement against Connacht last week, setting up Christian Cullen for the match-winning try.



Munster and Ireland scrum half Peter Stringer shares a joke at training. The diminutive number 9 is the joint-fourth most-capped player in Heineken Cup history with 63 games under his belt. His team-mate John Kelly has also lined out 63 times in Europe's premier tournament.



Ronan O'Gara points the way for Munster. Giving his thoughts on the Cardiff team at Wednesday's press conference, coach Kidney said: "They've got big men in key positions around the park and they're not conceding many points. The fact that Ben Blair is taking the place kicks is now taking the pressure off the out-half (Nick) Robinson, whose game has come on a tonne.

"They've beaten Bourgoin away and lost narrowly to Leicester despite being down a man in the closing minutes. I think they'll back themselves against us, and we certainly will give them all the respect they deserve."

**All photos by Billy Stickland of Inpho Photography**