Peter O'Mahony declared fit as Munster/All Blacks XV name teams

Peter O’Mahony has won his battle for fitness and will pack down for Munster this Saturday in Limerick against an All Blacks XV that has four Test capped players in its starting team.

O’Mahony, the 2024 Guinness Six Nations title-winning skipper with Ireland, limped off with a first half hamstring injury versus Ospreys in Cork on October 5. He has since missed his province’s derby at Leinster and their two-match trip to South Africa, as well as this week’s Ireland warm-weather training camp in Portugal.

However, his rehabilitation at the HPC in Limerick has paid off as he has been named at blindside in a Munster XV that will be skippered by Diarmuid Barron. Also included are Stephen Archer, Niall Scannell and Rory Scannell, who featured in the 2016 Thomond Park win over the Maori All Blacks.

Six academy players are included in the 23-man squad, with Evan O’Connell, a nephew of former Ireland skipper and current coach Paul, in line for his first Munster appearance.

Meanwhile, Clayton McMillan’s All Blacks XV is skippered by Du’Plessis Kirifi and includes four capped New Zealand players to start – George Bower, Finlay Christie, Quinn Tupaea and Shaun Stevenson. There are two more on the bench in Noah Hotham and Ruben Love.

Aside from Test rugby, is there any greater rival to New Zealand rugby than Munster?#AllBlacksXV #Munster

— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 30, 2024

McMillan said: “There is a long-standing rivalry between New Zealand teams and Munster. We are expecting an intense, competitive clash in front of a sold-out passionate Irish crowd in Limerick.

“We have had a short lead in to this first match, the team is a blend of experience with younger rising talent. The players are all out to showcase their skills and make the most of the opportunity to play on an international scale, representing New Zealand. It’s a proud moment for players and their whanau.”

MUNSTER: 15. Mike Haley; 14. Shay McCarthy, 13. Tom Farrell, 12. Rory Scannell, 11. Diarmuid Kilgallen; 10, Billy Burns, 9. Ethan Coughlan; 1. John Ryan, 2. Diarmuid Barron (capt), 3. Stephen Archer, 4. Fineen Wycherley, 5. Tom Ahern, 6. Peter O’Mahony, 7. John Hodnett, 8. Gavin Coombes. Reps: 16. Niall Scannell, 17. Kieran Ryan, 18. Ronan Foxe, 19. Evan O’Connell, 20. Ruadhan Quinn, 21. Paddy Patterson, 22. Tony Butler, 23. Ben O’Connor.

ALL BLACKS XV: 15. Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs/North Harbour); 14. Chay Fihaki (Crusaders/Canterbury), 13. AJ Lam (Blues/Auckland), 12. Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs/Waikato), 11. Kini Naholo (Hurricanes/Taranaki); 10. Harry Plummer (vice-captain – Blues/Auckland), 9. Finlay Christie (Blues/Tasman); 1. George Bower (Crusaders/Otago), 2. Brodie McAlister (Crusaders/Canterbury), 3. George Dyer (Chiefs/Waikato), 4. Isaia Walker-Leawere (Hurricanes/Hawke’s Bay) 5. Fabian Holland (Highlanders/Otago), 6. Oliver Haig (Highlanders/Otago), 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (captain – Hurricanes/Wellington), 8. Devan Flanders (Hurricanes/Hawke’s Bay). Reps: 16. Bradley Slater (Chiefs/Taranaki), 17. Xavier Numia (Hurricanes/Wellington), 18. Marcel Renata (Blues/Auckland), 19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Chiefs/Bay of Plenty), 20. Corey Kellow (Crusaders/Canterbury), 21. Noah Hotham (Crusaders/Tasman), 22. Josh Jacomb (Chiefs/Taranaki), 23. Ruben Love (Hurricanes/Wellington).