VICTORY FOR MUNSTER today, when they can neither move up or down from their perch in Pro14 Conference A, cannot adequately wash away the pain of Sunday’s Champions Cup exit in Bordeaux.
Johann van Graan’s team arrived back in Ireland with egos bruised even more than their bodies after they set themselves an impossible chase with Racing 92 24-3 to the good by half-time.
Rather than put his front-liners with a point to prove back on the horse six days later against Ulster (KO 5.35pm, TG4, BBC), Van Graan has decided that discretion is the better part of valour and changed 17 of the 23 involved in Bordeaux last weekend.
It’s testament to Munster’s exploits across two competitions throughout this season that Van Graan can feel comfortable sending out an experimental XV for an inter-provincial clash. Keeping up with Glasgow Warriors was an impossible task in Conference A, but a consistent pace through the campaign means Munster have earned the right to rest up their star names a week before the Pro14 playoffs begin.
Though they are at home, today is not about them. It’s about who earns the right to join them in Thomond Park next weekend.
There is a chance that the team to end up third and on the road to Limerick could be reigning champions Scarlets. However, after entering the week in similar mood to Munster, they look intent on avoiding them. Wayne Pivac has sent a team featuring Tadhg Beirne, James Davies, Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Patchell to the Millennium Stadium in search of the bonus point win over Dragons that would keep them safely nestled in a home playoff berth.
As things stand, Edinburgh will be Munster’s guests next weekend, though they will hope to beat Glasgow in Murrayfield to climb above Scarlets or, at the very least, shut the last unlocked door to the playoffs.
Munster’s team-sheet has given Ulster real hope of putting their name forward for a return match one week from now. However, even a bonus point victory could make this a penultimate game for Jono Gibbes as they would be left hoping the Warriors can shut down Edinburgh, leaving their 1872 rivals without so much as a point in the Scottish capital.
Holding up their own end of the bargain is a large task in itself. No Munster team will roll over on the hallowed ground of Thomond Park. They will balk at the idea of going into the knockout stage on the back of two defeats and the injection of young blood like Conor Oliver, Stephen Fitzgerald, Calvin Nash, Dan Goggin and Darren O’Shea should bring a vigour to proceedings with big knock-out matches ahead.
Sam Arnold, the only man retaining his place six days after Racing, will also be keen to make amends for the red card that brought about Munster’s New Year’s Day defeat in Belfast after they had led 17-0.
An all or nothing game means Ulster’s selection is as strong as Gibbes could make it and a tight five led by Rory Best and Iain Henderson ought to give the visitors a decent foothold.
John Cooney will be sorely missed after failing to come through HIA return to play protocols this week and Charles Piutau sits the final round out due to family reasons. Craig Gilroy returns from suspension arising from an internal review.
For Ulster, today is all about putting glossy finish on a mess of a season.
Munster’s chance to right the wrongs of one poor half against Racing 92 will come next week. And, all going to plan, the fortnight after that and the Pro14 final the week after that.
Munster:
15. Stephen Fitzgerald
14. Calvin Nash
13. Sammy Arnold
12. Dan Goggin
11. Darren Sweetnam
10. JJ Hanrahan
9. Duncan Williams
1. James Cronin
2. Mike Sherry (Capt.)
3. Brian Scott
4. Gerbrandt Grobler
5. Darren O’Shea
6. Dave O’Callaghan
7. Conor Oliver
8. Robin Copeland.
Replacements:
16. Rhys Marshall
17. Jeremy Loughman
18. Stephen Archer
19. Jean Kleyn
20. Jack O’Donoghue
21. James Hart
22. Bill Johnston
23. Shane Daly
Ulster
15. Louis Ludik
14. Craig Gilroy
13. Luke Marshall
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny McPhillips
9. Dave Shanahan
1. Callum Black
2. Rory Best Capt.
3. Ross Kane
4. Alan O’Connor
5. Iain Henderson
6. Clive Ross
7. Sean Reidy
8. Nick Timoney;
Replacements:
16. Rob Herring
17. Andy Warwick
18. Tom O’Toole
19. Kieran Treadwell
20. Chris Henry
21. Paul Marshall
22. Angus Curtis
23. Tommy Bowe
