Philippe Saint Andre has urged Sale Sharks not to undermine the "massive achievement" of beating French giants Clermont Auvergne, by losing their Heineken Cup showdown against holders Munster.
Saint Andre rated last weekend's 32-15 victory in France as Sale's finest performance since they defeated Leicester to be crowned 2006 Premiership champions. But the Sharks boss knows it is vital his players back up that display by toppling Munster at a sold-out Edgeley Park on Sunday.
Saint Andre said: "The win against Clermont was a massive achievement, but it is now consigned to the record books. If we were to lose this weekend we would undo all the good work of last week. Munster may only just have won last week (against Montauban). But they are a great side, and we expect a big performance from them on Sunday.
"Munster are the holders - they are the team we all aspire to beat."
Saint Andre is once more without the services of England prop Andrew Sheridan, who has not recovered from a shoulder injury sustained on Premiership duty almost three weeks ago. Lock Kristian Ormsby's one-match ban imposed by tournament disciplinary chiefs yesterday means Sebastien Chabal moves from number eight into the second row.
Elsewhere, fly-half Charlie Hodgson is again on the bench - Richard Wigglesworth retains the number 10 shirt - with Mathew Tait also among the replacements, after recovering from hamstring trouble. Wasps are unchanged for tomorrow's Dublin summit with Leinster - having launched their Pool Two campaign in a solid, rather than spectacular, fashion against Castres last Sunday.
Rugby director Ian McGeechan acknowledged: "Leinster are playing very well. They have a very strong side with some outstanding players, and we know this will be our toughest challenge of the season so far."
Wasps coach Shaun Edwards added: "Leinster are not Magners League champions for nothing. Against such a potent offensive outfit like Leinster, if we are not on our game defensively then we will have absolutely no chance. If we are on our game, history has shown we can be quite a force to be reckoned with."
Harlequins and Stade Francais should preserve their 100% records in Pool Four tomorrow. Quins host Ulster, and Stade are also at home - to the Scarlets. Quins displayed the steely edge acquired under rugby director Dean Richards' reign to fight back from an alarming deficit and beat the Scarlets at Stradey Park last Saturday.
Richards said: "The players showed great belief in one another to come back from being 19-3 down at half-time. It was our first victory in this prestigious competition since the 2001/02 season, and we intend to continue this good run of form. The team is maturing week by week and playing a more ambitious style of rugby.
"Last weekend, we showed we were not prepared to lie down and die when faced with stiff opposition."
Leicester lock Marco Wentzel starts against his former club tomorrow, as Tigers face a Pool Three Italian job in Treviso. Wentzel replaces captain Martin Corry, who reverts to the back row - while in-form Tom Croft is handed openside-flanker duties because Ben Woods, Ben Herring and Lewis Moody are all injured.
Leicester are otherwise unchanged from the side that grounded the Ospreys five days ago, and head coach Heyneke Meyer said: ``We need to take the same mentality and the same focus into Saturday's game. "This team sets high standards - they keep pushing themselves and they know they can play better. I like that attitude."
Apart from the pain of a narrow defeat, the Ospreys have been hit by injuries following a punishing Welford Road clash. Wing Nikki Walker (hand) and scrum-half Rhodri Wells (arm) are both sidelined for tomorrow's Liberty Stadium appointment with Perpignan, while flanker Jonathan Thomas was having surgery today to rectify a recurring groin problem.
Tommy Bowe switches from centre to replace Walker, with James Hook wearing the suspended Gavin Henson's number 12 shirt and Wales Under-20s star Daniel Biggar starting at fly-half. Up front, captain Ryan Jones fills Thomas' vacancy - and Filo Tiatia takes Jones' number eight position.
Apart from Sunday's action at Edgeley Park, Cardiff Blues and Gloucester meet under a closed Millennium Stadium roof - with the Pool Six rivals both unchanged following respective opening weekend wins against Calvisano and Biarritz. Bath, meanwhile, should have too much pace and power for Pool Five opponents Newport Gwent Dragons as they target an immediate response from an agonising injury-time loss against Toulouse last Sunday.