Munster scrum-half Craig Casey. Billy Stickland/INPHO

Casey recovers from shoulder injury to start for Munster v Castres

The scrum-half was a doubt following injury in Toulon on Sunday.

CRAIG CASEY HAS been named to start Munster’s Champions Cup round four meeting with Castres at Thomond Park [KO 5.30pm, Premier Sports] tomorrow.

The scrum-half suffered a shoulder injury in Sunday’s defeat at Toulon, which Clayton McMillan said looked “reasonably serious” post-game. However, on Tuesday Munster confirmed the issue was not as bad as initially feared, although defence coach Denis Leamy stated it was “a significant injury to his AC.”

Yet in a boost for Munster, and Ireland ahead of the Six Nations, Casey has been named in the side to start in Limerick tomorrow.

There are a total of three changes to the team that lost at the Stade Mayol, with Thaakir Abrahams, Niall Scannell and Jean Kleyn all coming into the starting XV.

Captain Tadhg Beirne will make his 100th appearance for the province.

Shane Daly, Abrahams and Academy player Ben O’Connor start in the back three as Alex Nankivell and Tom Farrell continue their centre partnership.

Casey partners Jack Crowley in the half-backs.

Jeremy Loughman, Scannell and Michael Ala’alatoa form the Munster front row, as Kleyn joins Fineen Wycherley in the second row.

Beirne starts alongside Jack O’Donoghue and Gavin Coombes in an unchanged back row.

On the Munster bench, Lee Barron, Michael Milne and Oli Jager provide the front row back-up. Jager is included in a matchday squad for the first time since October after recovering from a head injury.

Edwin Edogbo and Brian Gleeson complete the forward cover, with Ethan Coughlan, JJ Hanrahan and Dan Kelly the backline replacements.

Alex Kendellen, John Hodnett, Seán O’Brien, Tom Ahern and Calvin Nash were all unavailable for selection.

Kendellen (ankle) and Seán O’Brien (shoulder) are expected to return to play in three to five weeks.

Hodnett (thumb), Ahern (neck) and Nash (head/shoulder) are all marked to return in the coming weeks.

Munster: 

  • 15. Shane Daly
  • 14. Thaakir Abrahams
  • 13. Tom Farrell
  • 12. Alex Nankivell
  • 11. Ben O’Connor
  • 10. Jack Crowley
  • 9. Craig Casey
  • 1. Jeremy Loughman
  • 2. Niall Scannell
  • 3. Michael Ala’alatoa
  • 4. Jean Kleyn
  • 5. Fineen Wycherley
  • 6. Tadhg Beirne (capt)
  • 7. Jack O’Donoghue
  • 8. Gavin Coombes

Replacements: 

  • 16. Lee Barron
  • 17. Michael Milne
  • 18. Oli Jager
  • 19. Edwin Edogbo
  • 20. Brian Gleeson
  • 21. Ethan Coughlan
  • 22. JJ Hanrahan
  • 23. Dan Kelly

Castres Olympique:

  • 15. Theo Chabouni
  • 14. Christian Ambadiang
  • 13. Vuate Karawalevu
  • 12. Jack Goodhue
  • 11. Geoffrey Palis
  • 10. Pierre Popelin
  • 9. Jeremy Fernandez
  • 1. Atunaisa Sokobale
  • 2. Loris Zarantonello
  • 3. Will Collier
  • 4. Gauthier Maravat
  • 5. Tom Staniforth
  • 6. Baptiste Delaporte
  • 7. Baptiste Cope
  • 8. Florent Vanverberghe

Replacements: 

  • 16. Teddy Durand-Pradere
  • 17. Antoine Tichit
  • 18. Aurelien Azar
  • 19. Leone Nakarawa
  • 20. Tyler Ardron
  • 21. Santiago Arata
  • 22. Enzo Herve
  • 23. Atu Manu
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