Munster v Harlequins: Teams

Warwick (L): Munster recall

Harlequins will look to defy the odds when they travel to European giants Munster in Saturday's Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final at Thomond Park.

Munster have lost just one European game in 16 seasons on home soil, making the Magners League leaders and two-time Heineken Cup champions overwhelming favourites in front of an expected sell-out crowd.

The Red Army are aiming for their fifth European final after finishing runners-up to Toulon in Pool 3 of the Heineken Cup, but securing themselves qualification through to the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals where they beat Brive.

They come into the last-four tie on the back on a morale-boosting win over the Ospreys in south Wales last weekend.

O'Connell benched

Munster coach Tony McGahan has made just one change in personnel from the XV that started the clash against Brive.

That sole change comes in the backline where Paul Warwick partners Lifeimi Mafi in the centre, with Mafi's partner that day in Brive, Sam Tuitupou, named on a bench that also includes Paul O'Connell.

O'Connell wasn't named in the extended squad announced on Wednesday as McGahan waited to see how the squad captain came through what was only his second full contact session on Thursday since picking up the ankle injury against Leinster a month ago.

As it transpired, O'Connell showed no ill effects from his exertions and not surprisingly is included on a particularly strong looking list of replacements alongside Marcus Horan, John Hayes and Peter Stringer.

"We thought it prudent to omit Paul from the original squad until we saw how he came through what was only his second serious workout (yesterday) since sustaining the injury," McGahan told the Munster website.

Meanwhile, Harlequins have named the same XV which powered to a 38-3 victory over Leeds in the Aviva Premiership on Easter Sunday.

Quins make the trip across the Irish Sea as clear underdogs, given Munster's imperious European home record and Quins' poor Aviva Premiership away form this term that has produced just two wins from 11 starts.

Joe Marler, Joe Gray and James Johnston make up the front row trio, with Ollie Kohn and George Robson lining up behind.

Maurie Fa'asavalu, captain Chris Robshaw and Nick Easter are the back row trio, with Danny Care and Nick Evans joining together once again to make up the 9-10 partnership.

Jordan Turner-Hall and George Lowe link-up once again in the centre.

Ultimate

Ugo Monye and Gonzalo Camacho start on the wings, with Mike Brown completing the starting XV at full-back.

And director of rugby Conor O'Shea insists he and his player are relishing what he describes as "the ultimate challenge in European competition".

"We are deeply respectful of the history of Munster and know that they have set the standards of European rugby for many years," said O'Shea.

"To that extent, we are under no illusions about the task in hand. That said, the players are really excited about the prospect of a European semi-final and this is certainly a huge task for us against the very best.

"Thomond Park is the ultimate challenge in European competition, so our intensity levels will have to be really high.

"All I can ever ask of my team is that they give everything to the performance - then it's simply a case of the best men win, so we will see what happens."

Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Lifeimi Mafi, 12 Paul Warwick, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray, 8 James Coughlan, 7 David Wallace, 6 Denis Leamy, 5 Mick O'Driscoll, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Tony Buckley, 2 Damien Varley, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Mike Sherry, 17 Marcus Horan, 18 John Hayes, 19 Paul O'Connell, 20 Donnacha Ryan, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Sam Tuitupou, 23 Johne Murphy.

Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Gonzo Camacho, 13 George Lowe, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Ugo Monye, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 Maurie Fa'asavalu, 5 George Robson, 4 Ollie Kohn, 3 James Johnston, 2 Joe Gray, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Matt Cairns, 17 Ceri Jones, 18 Mark Lambert, 19 Tomas Vallejos, 20 Will Skinner, 21 Dave Moore, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Ross Chisholm.