MUNSTER HAVE MADE six changes to their starting XV for Friday’s Champions Cup round two trip to Castres [KO 8pm, Premier Sports].
Having opened their European campaign with a 33-7 defeat of Stade Francais last weekend, Munster welcome back Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Tadhg Beirne, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson and Mike Haley to the starting team.
Gleeson will be making his first appearance of the season and starts a Champions Cup game for the first time.
Scannell and Archer come into the front-row where Dian Bleuler keeps his place at loosehead. Fineen Wycherley continues in the second-row with Beirne coming back in to captain the side.
The Munster backrow sees Hodnett and Gleeson line out alongside Peter O’Mahony.
Haley is the sole change to the Munster backline, starting at fullback in a back three with Calvin Nash and Thaakir Abrahams.
Alex Nankivell and Tom Farrell link up again in the Munster midfield while the in-form Craig Casey and Jack Crowley continue in the half-backs.
𝙓𝙑 𝘿𝙀 𝘿𝙀́𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙏 📋
— Castres Olympique (@CastresRugby) December 12, 2024
Le XV pour la réception du Munster Rugby, présenté par la Banque Populaire Occitane 💪#CASvMUN #TeamCO pic.twitter.com/78afXudU9I
Dave Kilcoyne and Oli Jager both return on the Munster bench following injury. Kilcoyne hasn’t featured for Munster since suffering a long-term injury in last year’s Stephen’s Day clash with Leinster, while Jager has been sidelined since October.
Diarmuid Barron is the replacement hooker, while Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen and Jack O’Donoghue complete the forward cover. Paddy Patterson and Rory Scannell are the two backs on the Munster bench.
Munster:
- 15. Mike Haley
- 14. Calvin Nash
- 13. Tom Farrell
- 12. Alex Nankivell
- 11. Thaakir Abrahams
- 10. Jack Crowley
- 9. Craig Casey
- 1. Dian Bleuler
- 2. Niall Scannell
- 3. Stephen Archer
- 4. Fineen Wycherley
- 5. Tadhg Beirne (capt)
- 6. Peter O’Mahony
- 7. John Hodnett
- 8. Brian Gleeson
Replacements:
- 16. Diarmuid Barron
- 17. Dave Kilcoyne
- 18. Oli Jager
- 19. Tom Ahern
- 20. Alex Kendellen
- 21. Paddy Patterson
- 22. Rory Scannell
- 23. Jack O’Donoghue
Always willing to work hard for the cause.
Still the Goat Jonny.
Fact. It was the reason why Rice changed his allegiance. No brainer.Hard to blame him. Archaic set up with a coach that was effin and blindin. St George’s park? Or a a field next to a hotel?
I’m sure some journalists will use this to say “it was the atmosphere that caused rice to defect”.
Great servant. But he was as English as Declan rice to be fair
@Cryptoalcho: obviously not, doh!
@Aidan Prior: if he had been good enough to get a call up for England, he would have chose England to play with
@Cryptoalcho: I’m fairly sure Walters has an Irish parent where as Rice doesn’t, so not the same at all.
@The Bloody Nine: Correct. Walters’ Mum was from Dublin. Rice’s Ireland qualifications were through having grandparents from Cork.
@Cryptoalcho: have a look at the clip on the article
@Cryptoalcho: never even listened to the clip i betya
@James Clancy: Douglas, I think.
@samstheman: Arah lads. U think if England came calling he would have chose Ireland….. Tut tut
@Cryptoalcho: Yes, obviously ya dope!
@Cryptoalcho: trolling much? He already mentioned above, anytime he wasn’t in school, he was in ireland seeing family, therefore felt Irish first and foremost. There are many, many 2nd gen lads brought up that way in england. Fai should concentrate on them instead of wasting their scarce resources on chasing 3rd generation rats like rice and Grealish, whose heart was never really in it from the outset
@Facundo: true. But how do we differentiate between lads who want to play for Ireland and want to play for England?…. I’m sure rice and grealish were saying they’d play for ireland seniors while playing underage.. first sniff from England and they’re gone…. Maybe they should just focus on Irish born players for underage only.. I still haven’t heard anything that would change my mind that Walters would be playing England instead Ireland if England came sniffing… Financially it makes sense and tbh all them lads Born in England probably want to be play for England. Irelands plan B
@Cryptoalcho: you’ve a lot to say about this topic. You’ve made your opinion clear. I’m watching Switzerland vs Georgia while I type this . We need all the help we can get. But let me ask you your opinion on Éamon Zayed playing for Ireland at youth level but then playing for lybia. What’s your take on this ? And what do you think the Libyans are saying about it ?
@Cryptoalcho: well sure, Irish born would be ideal, but until irish fans and fai get more proactive about financially supporting their own teams, leagues and structures, instead of bankrolling englands…. then 2nd and 3rd gen was always be default first option. 2nd generation os a safe bet, if they’ve been going to Ireland all their life then it’s safe to say they will probably want to play for ireland… Like those dublin born lads in Ireland underage who will probably jump at the chance to play for Nigeria first opportunity they get. Identity is where the heart is
@Facundo: there is still a crop of Irish born decent footballers who would gain copious amounts of experience if they are given the jersey instead of turncoats…. Let them get the expierence and let the lads who qualify for us under “the granny” rule come at senior level. Develop the youth we have here and they may get the opportunity to progress in life and career
@Ronan McDermott: he played the system well for himself
@Cryptoalcho: and what do you think the lybian football fans are saying about it ? In fact are you not horrified by this ?
Keane a thug