Munster v Scarlets, Thomond Park, Saturday, 3.0pm

Win and Munster can forget this depressing campaign. Lose and it lasts forever. Or at least every waking hour of next season when Rassie Erasmus arrives to rebuild a crumbling empire.

Too dramatic? Those who have witnessed the demise of Munster as a European powerhouse ever since Rob Penney refused to sign a new contract after being stripped of his chosen assistant coach Simon Mannix two years ago will struggle to put up a decent argument to the contrary.

Of course there are plenty of excuses. Retirement of the last few legends, many injuries. Poor administration. The tale of two cities. A shoddy succession plan dating back to 2006. Amateur coaches trying to evolve into professionals without an established figurehead. On and on.

Weak nature

Now they are 80 minutes away from failing to qualify for Europe. Anthony Foley can guide his beloved Munster into next season's Champions Cup with defeat here so long as Ulster do their bit to lock down the last play-off berth with victory over the Ospreys at Liberty Stadium. If Munster lose without a bonus point and Edinburgh get a bonus point victory over Cardiff, the Scots could qualify for Europe at Munster's expense.

Also, a Munster loss to a decent Scarlets side – granted they are without international trio Samon Lee (concussion), DTH van der Merwe and Scott Williams – would see the Welsh skip over Ulster, and into the play-offs, should Les Kiss's men lose in Swansea.

So, plenty on the line.

Foley, remarkably for the first time this season, is able to name an unchanged side from last weekend's unimpressive victory over Edinburgh in Cork. It's a backline to be feared with Andrew Conway and Johnny Holland in decent form but up front is where the trouble has been.

CJ Stander was voted, by both peers and fans, as Irupa player of the season this week (there’s a snub in there somewhere for Bundee Aki) but the naturalised South African must be assisted by his all-native front five who have not been up to the required standard all season long.

No time like the present to show the incoming Erasmus what it means to wear red in Thomond Park.

MUNSTER: S Zebo; A Conway, F Saili, R Scannell, K Earls; J Holland, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, N Scannell, S Archer; D Foley, B Holland; D O'Callaghan, T O'Donnell, CJ Stander (capt). Replacements: M Sherry, J Cronin, J Ryan, R Copeland, J O'Donoghue, D Williams, I Keatley, R O'Mahony.

SCARLETS: L Williams; G Owen, S Hughes, H Parkes, S Evans; S Shingler, A Davies; R Evans, K Owens (capt), P Edwards; J Ball, D Bulbring; L Rawlins, J Davies, J Barclay. Replacements: R Elias, D Evans, R Jones, T Price, M Allen, G Davies, A Thomas, M Tagicakibau.

Referee: N Owens (WRU).

Formguide: Munster – WLLWL. Scarlets – WLLWW.

Prediction: Munster.