Leo Cullen says he is hopeful that his former Leinster player Joey Carbery doesn't provide the winning edge to rivals Munster in tomorrow's PRO14 decider at the RDS.
The Blues boss believes that the clash is a "big game" for Carbery as he claims pundits are strongly backing Munster to end their five-match losing streak to their provincial rivals, and their 10-year silverware famine.
Cullen has left Johnny Sexton on the bench and gone with Ross Byrne at no 10 while Carbery, who won a Champions Cup with Leinster, seeks to wreak havoc in his second start back from a 13-month absence.
Munster have crept closer and closer to Leinster in their recent meetings but Cullen's hope is that the return of Carbery doesn't tip the scales for the Reds with so much of the pre-match talk focused on their greater need to celebrate a final success.
"I hope not, I believe all the pundits are tipping Munster strongly now...yeah, we know that's a great challenge for us and we've got lots of guys who are excited about taking on the challenge," Cullen said.
"We know Munster have a lot of strengths. In terms of half-backs, they've plenty of experience as well, so it's going to be a good test for us.
“It’s pretty similar to what we would have faced in Thomond back in January. Andrew Conway comes back in, another Blackrock man. Pretty much it’s what we would have expected, so two teams that will be going be hard at it.
"Such a brilliant fixture, isn't it, for lots of different reasons. But yeah, we know those guys will be motivated and hopefully are guys are motivated for their own reasons as well. So it should be a great challenge.
"But it's a team that we know well. We know that they know our guys very, very well and I think one of the players said this week it's strange when we've spent the last eight weeks together as best friends and now they'll come bashing out against each other, after battling together for the past two months.
"You can see different glimpses of Munster and how they're evolving their game as well, the coaches, so it's just important that we understand all the different threats.
"There's all the traditional threats - but there are some more recent ones as well.
"Joey is another good Blackrock man and it's good to see him come back in as well from them. So big, big game for him as well."
Devin Toner will break Leinster's appearance record tomorrow, which he currently holds with Gordon D'Arcy.
“He’s a great character, Dev, very, very popular amongst the group," said Cullen. "In many ways he’s your classic gentle giant.
"I remember first watching him play for the Irish schoolboys against Wales in Donnybrook and he’s definitely a standout individual, you don’t forget him when you see him.
"I went away to England at that stage so he would have got capped for Leinster first when I was away.
“When I came back we were competing at some points with each other, playing a lot together as well, and I was just trying to help him in terms of his development in that early stage of his career.
To see how he’s progressed from those early days and what he’s achieved in the game is incredible really.
"His durability is what stands out in terms of becoming the record cap holder, overtaking Darce, and what he’s achieved with Ireland as well.
"It’s been amazing and it means a huge amount to Dev and his family, in terms of hitting this milestone and all the things he’s done in a Leinster jersey.
"Hopefully he’ll have a big day tomorrow because it’s a huge game."
