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12 players set to make their debut for quarantine-hit Munster
The immense impact that the recent ill-fated trip to South African has taken on Munster has been laid bare by the confirmation of their matchday 23 to face Wasps in this Sunday’s opening round of the Champions Cup in England. Ireland stars such as Peter O’Mahony, who didn’t make the trip to the southern hemisphere, are included to start but the quarantine red tape affecting those who travelled will see the back-rower take the field with a huge contingent of very unfamiliar names.
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In total, a dozen players are set to make their senior Munster debuts in the fixture at Coventry, with five debutants chosen in the starting XV – academy quartet Patrick Campbell, Scott Buckley, Eoin O’Connor and Daniel Okeke, and senior prop James French.
Eight of the newcomers in the matchday 23 hail from the academy that this season has been run by Ian Costello, the ex-Wasps defence coach, but the story of the Munster selection isn’t all about inexperience as Conor Murray, Damian de Allende and Chris Farrell are all set to make their first starts for the province this season. Campbell starts at full-back with Andrew Conway and Keith Earls on either flank.
De Allende and Farrell team up in the centres with Murray and Joey Carbery in the half-backs. Dave Kilcoyne packs down in the front row with Buckley and French. Tadhg Beirne starts alongside Eoin O’Connor in the second row, while captain O’Mahony, John Hodnett and Okeke complete the side.
Roman Salanoa is among the replacements having recovered from a knee injury and could make his European debut while seven other players are in line to make their Munster debuts off the bench. Summer addition Declan Moore and academy quartet Mark Donnelly, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler and Jonathan Wren are included along with John Forde and Conor Moloney.
'Speaking to Stephen Larkham, Munster really fancy their chances more this year than in recent years even with the Covid-related disruption they’ve faced.'@AndyGoode10 👨💻 #HeinekenChampionsCup #ChampionsCuphttps://t.co/N5euuxOH5F
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 10, 2021
Munster have overcome fraught preparations for European games before, namely their 2016 win over Glasgow six days after coach Anthony Foley had tragically died in his sleep in Paris prior to a scheduled match at Racing, but Wasps will look to exploit Munster’s inexperience in the closing stages of this particular match. “If some of their guys haven’t played for six or seven weeks then it is up to us to take them as deep as we can in the game and make sure we are in the contest,” explained John Mitchell, the Premiership club’s assistant coach. “We need to create the pressure that questions fitness in the last quarter.”
MUNSTER: Patrick Campbell; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Keith Earls; Joey Carbery, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Scott Buckley, James French; Eoin O’Connor, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (capt), John Hodnett, Daniel Okeke. Reps: Declan Moore, Mark Donnelly, Roman Salanoa, John Forde, Conor Moloney, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Jonathan Wren.
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Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
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