MUNSTER BOSS JOHANN van Graan has included three academy players in his squad to face Benetton at Stadio Monigo in the Guinness Pro14 tomorrow [KO 7pm Irish time, eir Sport/Free Sports].
Cork Con man Shane Daly starts on the left wing and Gavin Coombes of Young Munster lines out at number eight, while Alex McHenry, also of Cork Con, is named among the replacements.
Van Graan has made a total of 11 changes to the starting team that beat Cardiff Blues last weekend ahead of this clash with the high-flying Benetton, who sit third in Conference B of the Pro14 ahead of tomorrow’s game.
Munster have rested their big guns ahead of next weekend’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens.
JJ Hanrahan comes in at out-half for his 100th appearance for the province, while tighthead prop Stephen Archer will earn his 150th cap.
Mike Haley, Darren Sweetnam, Billy Holland and Chris Cloete are retained from the win over Cardiff Blues, with Holland captaining the team tomorrow.
Haley and Sweetnam are joined in the back three by Daly, while Dan Goggin and Sammy Arnold come into the midfield.
Alby Mathewson starts at scrum-half, while Jack O’Donoghue and Coombes join Cloete in the back row.
The powerful Fineen Wycherley lines up alongside Holland in the second row, as Jeremy Loughman Rhys Marshall are named in the front row with Archer.
Alongside McHenry on the Munster bench is Dave O’Callaghan, who is set for his first Pro14 appearance since September after his recent recovery from injury.
Benetton, meanwhile, have named a full-strength team as they look to continue their bid for a play-off spot.
Munster (v Benetton):
15. Mike Haley
14. Darren Sweetnam
13. Sammy Arnold
12. Dan Goggin
11. Shane Daly
10. JJ Hanrahan
9. Alby Mathewson
1. Jeremy Loughman
2. Rhys Marshall
3. Stephen Archer
4. Fineen Wycherley
5. Billy Holland (captain)
6. Jack O’Donoghue
7. Chris Cloete
8. Gavin Coombes
Replacements:
16. Kevin O’Byrne
17. Liam O’Connor
18. Ciaran Parker
19. Darren O’Shea
20. Dave O’Callaghan
21. Neil Cronin
22. Bill Johnston
23. Alex McHenry
Benetton:
15. Jayden Hayward
14. Ratuva Tavuyara
13. Tommaso Benvenuti
12. Marco Zanon
11. Monty Ioane
10. Tommaso Allan (captain)
9. Dewaldt Duvenage
1. Nicola Quaglio
2. Luca Bigi
3. Marco Riccioni
4. Irné Herbst
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Abraham Steyn
8. Toa Halafihi
Replacements:
16. Hame Faiva
17. Cherif Traore
18. Simone Ferrari
19. Marco Lazzaroni
20. Giovanni Pettinelli
21. Tito Tebaldi
22. Antonio Rizzi
23. Tommaso Iannone
Referee: Ben Whitehouse [WRU].
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