JACK CROWLEY HAS got the nod at out-half for Munster in one of four changes to the starting XV for the United Rugby Championship clash with Dragons at Thomond Park tomorrow.
Josh Wycherley makes his first start of the season alongside brother Fineen in the same pack, while Shane Daly and John Ryan have also been brought in following the victory over Edinburgh two weeks ago.
Simon Zebo is on the opposite flank to Daly, and Ireland pair Craig Casey and Gavin Coombes both keep their places in the side after they were released from the Six Nations camp for the visit of Dragons.
Speaking about the battle for places, Josh Wycherley explained: “It’s easy to get bogged down on some things but you kind of just have to take it week by week. You’re trying to develop your skills every week.
“After a period of time you see those hours [of work] that you put in come to the front and then you get your chances. It’s about being patient and sticking in there, staying at the graft, I think.
“You always have a bit of brotherly competitiveness [with Fineen],” he added. “In fairness, he’s always been a help to me coming through. He would have been through the system before me so it was an easy transition for me, I suppose.”
Dragons are second bottom in the URC table but Wycherley insists Munster won’t take their eye off the ball. “I know they are on the lower side of the league at the moment but look at any of their games against the other provinces – Leinster, Ulster – and they have all been tight games, so we’re definitely well focused.”
Munster:Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Chris Farrell, Dan Goggin, Simon Zebo; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (C), Chris Cloete, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jeremy Loughman, Stephen Archer, Alex Kendellen, John Hodnett, Neil Cronin, Ben Healy, Rory Scannell.
Dragons: Jordan Williams, Will Talbot-Davies, Jack Dixon, Aneurin Owen, Rio Dyer, Sam Davies, Rhodri Williams; Greg Bateman, Taylor Davies, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Joe Maksymiw, Harri Keddie (CAPT), Ollie Griffiths, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Ellis Shipp, Aki Seiuli, Mesake Doge, Huw Taylor, Ben Fry, Dan Baker, Lewis Jones, Josh Lewis
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 19th league game)
