NIALL SCANNELL WILL captain Munster for the first time when they face Zebre in the Guinness Pro14 tomorrow evening at Stadio Giovanni Mari [KO 7.35pm, Eir Sport, Premier Sports].
Tommy O’Donnell and Darren Sweetnam are in line to return from their respective hamstring injuries after being named among the replacements for the meeting with Michael Bradley’s side.
O’Donnell hasn’t played since the game against Leinster in December, while Sweetnam has been sidelined since October’s clash with the Cheetahs.
Johann van Graan’s side for the trip to Italy shows six changes from the team that started last weekend’s trouncing of Southern Kings in Cork.
Craig Casey comes in for Neil Cronin at scrum-half. There’s a new centre partnership, as Chris Farrell and Dan Goggin make way for Sammy Arnold and Rory Scannell.
Up front, Billy Holland is replaced in the second row by Darren O’Shea. Chris Cloete and Jack O’Sullivan come into the back row instead of Jack O’Donoghue and John Hodnett.
Munster:
15. Mike Haley
14. Calvin Nash
13. Sammy Arnold
12. Rory Scannell
11. Shane Daly
10. JJ Hanrahan
9. Craig Casey
1. James Cronin
2. Niall Scannell (captain)
3. John Ryan
4. Fineen Wycherley
5. Darren O’Shea
6. Arno Botha
7. Chris Cloete
8. Jack O’Sullivan
Replacements:
16. Kevin O’Byrne
17. Jeremy Loughman
18. Stephen Archer
19. Gavin Coombes
20. Tommy O’Donnell
21. Neil Cronin
22. Dan Goggin
23. Darren Sweetnam
Zebre:
15. Junior Laloifi
14. Paula Balekana
13. Jamie Elliott
12. Tommaso Boni (captain)
11. Pierre Bruno
10. Francois Brummer
9. Joshua Renton
1. Daniele Rimepelli
2. Massimo Ceciliani
3. Eduardo Bello
4. Mick Kearney
5. Ian Nagle
6. Maxime Mbandà
7. Jimmy Tuivaiti
8. Renato Giammarioli
Replacements:
16. Matteo Luccardi
17. Riccardo Burgnara
18. Matteo Nocera
19. Leonard Krumov
20. George Biagi
21. Nicolò Casilio
22. Pescetto Paolo
23. Enrico Lucchin
Andy Dunne and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to tee you up for Sunday’s big one. The lads try to figure out where the winning and losing of the game will be, field a The42 member’s question as to what extent the media plays a role in Ireland’s performance, and Andy explains why Henry Tuilagi haunts his dreams at night.
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
