MUNSTER BOSS JOHANN van Graan has made seven changes to his side for tomorrow’s United Rugby Championship clash with the Bulls at altitude in Pretoria, South Africa [KO 2.05pm Irish time, TG4/Premier Sports/URC TV].
Ben Healy, Alex Kendellen, Rory Scannell, Niall Scannell, Neil Cronin, Stephen Archer, and Calvin Nash all come into Munster’s starting team for the game in Loftus Versfeld, which is 1,350 metres above sea level.
There is a big boost for Munster with the return from injury of Springboks centre Damian de Allende, who is included on the bench.
Right wing Nash makes up the back three with Simon Zebo and fullback Mike Haley, while Rory Scannell partners Chris Farrell in midfield. Healy and Cronin slot into the halfback positions.
Niall Scannell and Archer join Josh Wycherley in the front row as Jean Kleyn and Fineen Wycherley continue as the starting second row pairing.
Kendellen is at number eight in a back row that also includes captain Jack O’Donoghue and Chris Cloete.
Academy loosehead Mark Donnelly and lock Eoin O’Connor are set for their URC debuts off the bench, having featured against Wasps in the Champions Cup back in December. De Allende is in the number 23 shirt and set for his first appearance since January after recovering from an abdominal injury.
Meanwhile, the Bulls team includes former Munster back row Arno Botha and ex-Ulster man Marcell Coetzee, who is their captain. Director of rugby Jake White hasn’t made any changes from the Bulls’ 45-7 win over Zebre last time out.
Munster:
- 15. Mike Haley
- 14. Calvin Nash
- 13. Chris Farrell
- 12. Rory Scannell
- 11. Simon Zebo
- 10. Ben Healy
- 9. Neil Cronin
- 1. Josh Wycherley
- 2. Niall Scannell
- 3. Stephen Archer
- 4. Jean Kleyn
- 5. Fineen Wycherley
- 6. Jack O’Donoghue (captain)
- 7. Chris Cloete
- 8. Alex Kendellen
Replacements:
- 16. Diarmuid Barron
- 17. Mark Donnelly
- 18. John Ryan
- 19. Eoin O’Connor
- 20. John Hodnett
- 21. Paddy Patterson
- 22. Jack Crowley
- 23. Damian de Allende
Bulls:
- 15. Kurt-Lee Arendse
- 14. Cornal Hendricks
- 13. Lionel Mapoe
- 12. Harold Vorster
- 11. Madosh Tambwe
- 10. Chris Smith
- 9. Embrose Papier
- 1. Gerhard Steenekamp
- 2. Johan Grobbelaar
- 3. Jacques van Rooyen
- 4. Walt Steenkamp
- 5. Ruan Nortje
- 6. Marcell Coetzee (captain)
- 7. Arno Botha
- 8. Elrigh Louw
Replacements:
- 16. Bismarck du Plessis
- 17. Simphiwe Matanzima
- 18. Robert Hunt
- 19. Janko Swanepoel
- 20. WJ Steenkamp
- 21. Zak Burger
- 22. Morne Steyn
- 23. Canan Moodie
Referee: Ben Whitehouse [WRU].
Gavan Casey and Murray Kinsella look ahead to Twickenham and two big URC games involving three of the provinces
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
