MUNSTER HAVE INCLUDED a mix of senior, academy and club players in their 27-man ‘A’ squad for this week’s trip to Boston, where the southern province will play two games in the Cara Cup.
The Munster travelling party, which departs for America tomorrow, includes six senior players, 12 academy prospects and nine club players for development games against the New England Free Jacks and Leinster ‘A’.
Scrum-halves Duncan Williams and James Hart are named in the panel alongside Liam O’Connor, Dave O’Callaghan, the fit-again Conor Oliver and Alex Wootton, who has made just seven Pro14 appearances this term.
Six of Ireland’s U20 squad from the recent Grand Slam-winning campaign — Sean French, Paddy Kelly, James McCarthy, Ben Healy, Billy Scannell, Conor Philips — will look to impress on tour, as the inaugural Cara Cup competition continues in Massachusetts this weekend.
Academy back row forward Jack O’Sullivan, who made his first start at number eight since his cruciate knee ligament injury last May as UCC defeated Young Munster last weekend, will be keen to build up his match minutes.
Munster ‘A’ face the New England Free Jacks, who are joining US Major League Rugby next year, at the Irish Cultural Centre in Massachusetts this Saturday, before playing Leinster ‘A’ at Union Point Sports Complex in Weymouth on Wednesday week.
Munster ‘A’ squad: Liam O’Connor, Conor Oliver, Dave O’Callaghan, Duncan Williams, James Hart, Alex Wootton, Keynan Knox, Eoghan Clarke, Seán O’Connor, Gavin Coombes, Jack Daly, Jack O’Sullivan, Jack Stafford, Ben Healy, Alex McHenry, Seán French, Alan Tynan, James McCarthy, David Jennings, Paddy Kelly, Luke Kingston, Luke Masters, Shane O’Driscoll, Ross O’Neill, Conor Phillips, Cian Reale, Billy Scannell.
Fixtures:
Saturday, 6 April:
- New England Free Jacks v Munster, Massachusetts, 4pm local time/10pm Irish time
Wednesday, 10 April:
- Munster A v Leinster A, Massachusetts, 7pm local time/1am Irish time.
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