JJ HANRAHAN WILL wear the number 10 shirt for Munster in Sunday’s vital Heineken Champions Cup clash with Racing 92 at Paris La Défense Arena [KO 3.15pm, BT Sport 2].
With Joey Carbery and Tyler Bleyendaal both ruled out, Hanrahan — who had been carrying a hamstring injury — has received the nod to start at out-half for what is a must-win game for Munster’s prospects of reaching the quarter-finals.
Head coach Johann van Graan has made a total of eight personnel changes to the side that started in last weekend’s comprehensive defeat at Ulster in the Guinness Pro14.
Despite being troubled by a neck issue, Andrew Conway has been passed fit to retain his place on the wing.
For Racing 92, Simon Zebo is unavailable due to injury and Donnacha Ryan has been named among the replacements.
Munster:
15. Mike Haley
14. Andrew Conway
13. Chris Farrell
12. Rory Scannell
11. Keith Earls
10. JJ Hanrahan
9. Conor Murray
1. Dave Kilcoyne
2. Niall Scannell
3. Stephen Archer
4. Jean Kleyn
5. Billy Holland
6. Peter O’Mahony (captain)
7. Jack O’Donoghue
8. CJ Stander
Replacements:
16. Kevin O’Byrne
17. Jeremy Loughman
18. John Ryan
19. Arno Botha
20. Chris Cloete
21. Craig Casey
22. Dan Goggin
23. Shane Daly
Racing 92:
15. Brice Dulin
14. Teddy Thomas
13. Virimi Vakatawa
12. Henry Chavancy
11. Juan Imhoff
10. Finn Russell
9. Teddy Iribaren
1. Eddy Ben Arous
2. Camille Chat
3. Ben Tameifuna
4. Boris Palu
5. Dominic Bird
6. Wenceslas Lauret
7. Bernard Le Roux
8. Antonie Claassen
Replacements:
16. Teddy Baubigny
17. Hassane Kolingar
18. Cedate Gomes Sa
19. Donnacha Ryan
20. Fabien Sanconnie
21. Maxime Machenaud
22. Ben Volavola
23. Olivier Klemenczak
Andy Dunne joined Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey in studio to chat about Joey Carbery, the Saracens fallout, Munster’s future, and much more.
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
