03 Frontier OEM exhaust replacement

[blustu99]

I have a 2003 Frontier V6 4WD XE King Cab that needs new muffler.
I am original owner and live in MD so lucky exhaust has held up for 11 years.
Anyway, the Nissan parts online catalogs show the muffler pipe assembly (part 20100) having a flange where it attaches to the cross pipe (20300).
I checked and myl muffler assembly does not have this flange connection.
Instead there is a sleave connection with U-clamp.

I'd like to do this replacement myself but am now wondering if I should replace the cross pipe too.

Any suggestions?