**This early-season blockbuster sees last year’s Conference B top-two come face-to-face in a mouth-watering clash in Limerick, and both Munster and Edinburgh will be eager to emerge victorious after getting off to contrasting starts last week.** Ben Healy’s late kick snatched a dramatic 30-27 victory for the 14-man Irishmen over 2016/17 champions Scarlets after Peter O'Mahony’s sending off, suggesting Johann van Graan’s men could be a force to be reckoned with as they look to finally topple triple-defending champions Leinster. And while Edinburgh got off to a shaky start in Round 1 with a 25-10 home defeat to last season’s Conference A bottom side Ospreys, the hosts will be all too aware of the threats posed by the Scotsmen after finishing one spot below them in the ranks in 2019/20. As the preparations conclude for what is expected to be a Thomond Park thriller between two of last year’s semi-finalists, here’s all you need to know ahead of kick-off. # What’s at stake? A push for the Championship title is ultimately on the minds of both teams, after they each fell one game short of the showpiece finale last time out. Munster left it late to qualify for the Final Series in 2019/20 and, conscious of how quickly the Conference tables take shape, will be determined to assert their authority much earlier on this time around and bag their second successive win over another of their likely challengers here.
