For the fifth time in three years, Munster are getting set to host a touring side, reigniting old rivalries of the amateur era.
This time, a representative 'Argentina XV' are the visitors to Thomond Park, returning 52 years almost to the day after the sole, drawn fixture.
It was Halloween night of 1973 when Los Pumas last faced the Red Army. 1973 is also the year of Ireland's only drawn fixture with the All Blacks. An omen for later tonight perhaps?
Back in Limerick, Argentina are the last remaining southern hemisphere juggernaut that the Irish province are still to beat, so there’s a vacant page in the history books ready to be written.
Clayton McMillan was the opposing coach a year ago when New Zealand XV came to town, and he is brimming with excitement at the prospect of being on the other side of the contest this time.
Speaking to reporters during the week, McMillan said: "It’s a huge honour" to lead Munster into this fixture.
"[It’s] something that we've talked a lot about over the last couple of training days. How privileged we are, at Munster, to, over the last two or three years, have had the opportunity to play an international fixture.
"It's not something that would be commonplace and we don't want to count our chickens before they hatch and expect that these opportunities are going to always continue to be there. So you respect the game, fully embrace it.
"While there's no pressure to go and accumulate points, we still want to put pressure on ourselves around putting in a performance that we can be proud of."
Munster’s rich history needs no introduction. They have defeated New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the Barbarians; the only club side to have done so.
The Crusaders also came to town in February 2024, as the then Super Rugby champions, and Munster dispatched of them as well.
With a form line like this, comes pressure and excitement.
"There's some pressure to live up to the rich history of Munster teams doing really well against the touring international side," McMillan added.
"[We are] by no means looking at this as a festival match, like we're treating it seriously, but also recognising that it is slightly different and there is opportunity to go and express yourself."
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That feverishness is rubbing off across the province, both in the HPC and in the stands. Mossy Lawlor and Diarmuid Kilgallen were also involved in last season’s fixture and share a similar pride in the task at hand.
"It's great. I suppose the energy builds the minute the match finished on Saturday night," Lawlor said.
"Knowing that the following week we're playing against an international side at home, I suppose the pressure is off a little bit in relation to there's no points at stake. So everybody can go out and just really, really enjoy it.
"But us as coaches, I suppose we feed off the energy of the players and how excited they are for the occasion. If you look at the history of Munster Rugby over the last number of years and the teams that have come to play us.
"We've got a couple of scalps, so long may that continue, and we'll be looking to do the same on the weekend."
"That's something we're really leaning into, how special it is to play against an international team," winger Kilgallen added.
"To be able to do it in Thomond with fans as passionate as Munster fans, we know how much it will mean to them as well. So, it's pretty important for us to recognise that opportunity, really embrace it and front up.
McMillan has made 11 changes to the starting side for this evening’s clash, with Jack O’Donoghue set to lead out the side, as he did against South Africa in 2022.
Cork man Conor Ryan is set for a starting debut alongside young prospect Evan O’Connell with Max Clein and former Ireland under-20 star Luke Murphy primed for their first runouts from the bench.
The matchday squad follows a similar pattern of youth and experience, with Fionn Gibbons, Shay McCarthy, Tony Butler, Ronan Foxe, Ruadhán Quinn, Kieran Ryan and Jake O’Riordan all included too.
Munster have started their season unbeaten through their first five BKT United Rugby Championship games and will be aiming to make it six from six, with 47 players used across the opening window.
Munster: Mike Haley; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Fionn Gibbons, Seán O’Brien, Shay McCarthy; Tony Butler, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Lee Barron, Ronan Foxe; Conor Ryan, Evan O’Connell; Jack O’Donoghue (C), Ruadhán Quinn, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Max Clein, Mark Donnelly, Kieran Ryan, Fineen Wycherley, Luke Murphy, Jake O’Riordan, JJ Hanrahan, Ben O’Connor.
Argentina XV: Tobias Wade; Santiago Pernas, Leonardo Gea Salim, Faustino Sanchez Valarolo, Mateo Soler; Julian Hernandez, Alejo Sugasti; Matias Medrano, Leonel Oviedo, Francisco Moreno; Lautaro Simes, Federico Albrisi; Nicolas D’Amorim, Aitor Bildosola, Juan Cruz Perez Rachel.
Replacements: Juan Manuel Vivas, Diego Correa, Octavio Filippa, Lorenzo Colidio, Juan Pedro Bernasconi, Estanislao Pregot, Bautista Farise, Agustin Fraga
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