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Munster add 20-year-old Healy to Champions Cup squad as Leinster make five changes

Scott Penny, Ryan Baird, and Ciaran Frawley have been added to the Leinster squad.

MUNSTER HAVE ADDED 20-year-old out-half Ben Healy to their Heineken Champions Cup squad ahead of Saturday’s Pool 4 opener against the Ospreys.

The academy playmaker joins Johann van Graan’s European squad with first-choice out-half Joey Carbery absent through injury and JJ Hanrahan also a doubt for this weekend due to a hamstring issue.

ben-healy Ben Healy at Munster training yesterday. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

Tyler Bleyendaal is in line to start in Munster’s number 10 shirt at Liberty Stadium on Saturday but Healy may now be involved in the matchday 23, although van Graan has indicated that Rory Scannell and Conor Murray could provide emergency out-half cover.

Tipperary man Healy – who has replaced wing Alex Wootton in the Champions Cup squad – has yet to make his senior debut for Munster. 

Meanwhile, Leinster have made five changes to their European squad ahead of their Pool 1 opener against Benetton on Saturday.

The promising 19-year-old Scott Penny, 20-year-old Ryan Baird, and 21-year-old Ciarán Frawley have been registered ahead of the opening round, with new signing Cian Kelleher and hooker Bryan Byrne also coming in.

Dan Leavy, Jack Conan, Barry Daly, Fergus McFadden, and Vakh Abdaladze have been deregistered by Leinster, while Benetton have added Marco Fuser in place of Alessandro Zanni.

Connacht have made two changes to their squad in advance of their Pool 5 meeting with Montpellier in Galway on Sunday, with 20-year-old lock Niall Murray and prop Peter McCabe registered in place of the injured Sean O’Brien and Paddy McAllister.

niall-murray-is-tackled-by-louis-carbonel Connacht have added Ireland U20 lock Niall Murray to their squad. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Montpellier have registered former All Blacks out-half Aaron Cruden in place of Springboks star Handré Pollard, while Jannie du Plessis replaces the injured Guilhem Guirado and Thomas Darmon comes in for Lucas De Connick.

Of relevance to Munster, the Ospreys have added Springboks-capped lock Marvin Orie to their group in place of Will Griffiths.

Ulster have not made any alterations to their squad, with Dan McFarland’s men set to open their European season away to Bath – who have registered Will Vaughan and Gabe Hammer-Webb – on Saturday.

Tournament organisers EPCR said that in order to “provide flexibility for clubs in light of Rugby World Cup 2019 and to cater for the possibility of long-term injuries sustained by players after the First Registration deadline but before Round 1, clubs may register up to five incoming Swap Players on or before Wednesday 13 November 2019 to replace players previously registered by the club.

“The registration of incoming Swap Players can be reversed before Thursday 26 March 2020. Each player can only replace the player who was initially nominated as his incoming Swap Player.

“Each club may also register up to five Additional Players during the pool stages, but none during the knock-out stages, each to replace a player previously registered. A minimum of three Additional Players must be front row players.

“For the knock-out stages, clubs can add up to three players to supplement their squad.” 

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