Munster resume their Heineken Cup campaign against Viadana at Musgrave Park tonight - but they will be without Mick Galwey, their mainstay of European rugby.
Galwey has been included in every one of Munster's previous 47 Heineken Cup squads since the province's first game in the competition back in September, 1995.
Galwey, 36, has scored 45 points in his European adventure - and was captain when Munster made the Heineken Cup finals in 2000 and 2002 - but the emergence of Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan and Mick O'Driscoll means the British Lions star will now only play a bit part role.
"I knew this day would come, and was lucky really to get those two early games in because Paul was injured. Not wishing the boys any bad luck or anything but, if the need comes, I'll be ready to step back in," he said.
Munster welcome back Anthony Horgan and Jeremy Staunton from injury. Horgan has been sidelined since breaking two bones in his hand in May, keeping him out of Munster's 15-9 Heineken Cup final defeat against Leicester Tigers at the Millennium Stadium.
And Staunton damaged a stomach muscle in this season's Heineken Cup opener against Gloucester in October.
Munster: Jeremy Staunton; Anthony Horgan, Mike Mullins, Jason Holland, Mossie Lawlor; Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer; Marcus Horan, Frank Sheahan, John Hayes; Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan; Jim Williams (capt), Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley.
Replacements: James Blaney/John Fogarty, Simon Kerr, Mick O'Driscoll, Eddie Halvey/Denis Leamy, Mike Prendergast, Killian Keane, Colm McMahon.