RASSIE ERASMUS HAS named three debutants in Munster’s starting XV for tomorrow night’s Guinness Pro14 opener against Benetton Treviso at Musgrave Park [KO 7.35pm, TG4].
Having arrived in the summer from Grenoble, new signing Chris Farrell starts at centre. Academy duo Liam O’Connor and Sean O’Connor also get their first competitive starts for the province in the front and back rows respectively.
New signings Ciaran Parker and James Hart are included among the replacements, while Mike Sherry is also on the bench having returned from a 16-month injury lay-off in last week’s pre-season victory away to Worcester Warriors.
Munster:
15. Andrew Conway
14. Darren Sweetnam
13. Chris Farrell
12. Jaco Taute
11. Alex Wootton
10. Tyler Bleyendaal (captain)
9. Duncan Williams
1. Liam O’Connor
2. Rhys Marshall
3. Stephen Archer
4. Jean Kleyn
5. Billy Holland
6. Sean O’Connor
7. Tommy O’Donnell
8. Jack O’Donoghue
Replacements:
16. Mike Sherry
17. Brian Scott
18. Ciaran Parker
19. Fineen Wycherley
20. Robin Copeland
21. James Hart
22. Ian Keatley
23. Dan Goggin
Benetton Treviso:
15. Ian McKinley
14. Angelo Esposito
13. Tommaso Benvenuti
12. Tommaso Allan
11. Edoardo Gori
10. Marty Banks
9. Tito Tebaldi
1. Federico Zani
2. Luca Bigi
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Dean Budd (captain)
5. Marco Lazzaroni
6. Francesco Minto
7. Sebastian Negri
8. Whetu Douglas
Replacements:
16. Engjel Makelara
17. Cherif Traore
18. Marco Riccioni
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Abraham Steyn
21. Giorgio Bronzini
22. Alberto Sgarbi
23. Andrea Buondonno
