Champions Cup
Earls and Carbery Out but Munster Name Strong Team
Munster have named their team for their Champions Cup semi-final and it’s going to take some beating
Munster have made 12 changes to the side that defeated Benetton last weekend for their Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday at 15 00.
Joey Carbery misses out as expected but he is joined on the side lines by quarter-final hero Keith Earls. Otherwise Munster are almost at full strength for the game.
Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell and John Ryan start in the front-row for the reds with Jean Kleyn and Tadhg Beirne slotting behind in the second-row.
Peter O’Mahony captains the side on his 50th Champions Cup appearance and is joined in the back-row by Jack Donoghue and CJ Stander.
Conor Murray will look to run things from the half-backs alongside Tyler Bleyendaal. While Rory Scannell and Chris Farrell come in at 12 and 13 respectively.
Darren Sweetnam begins on the left-wing, with Andrew Conway on the right and Mike Haley continuing at full-back to finish the starting XV.
On the bench Rhys Marshell, Jeremy Loughman, Stephen Archer, Billy Holland and Arno Botha are the forward replacements. Alby Mathewson, JJ Hanrahan and Dan Goggin are cover for the backs.
Here is your Munster team for tomorrow's Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens! ? #SARvMUN
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) April 19, 2019
We'll be arriving at the Ricoh Arena tomorrow at around 1.30pm if supporters would like to welcome our squad to the stadium!
See you there! #RedArmyRising #SUAF ? pic.twitter.com/3h2XwpPN6l
Speaking ahead of the game Munster head coach Johann van Graan believes that his team will be facing the best side in this year’s tournament thus far.
“They’ve been the team of the Champions Cup thus far. They haven’t lost a game yet, they’ve played some fantastic rugby and scored the most tries and they’ve got a lot of world class players in their team, so, we’re definitely up against a massive challenge away from home on Saturday afternoon,” he said.
The opposition is formidable with Mako Vunipola, Jamie George and Titi Lamositele locking down in the front-three, with England duo Maro Itoje and George Kruis as the locks.
Michael Rhodes, Jackson Wray and Billy Vunipola make up the back-row. Vunipola will be sure to get some reaction from the fans following his recent support for Israel Folau’s comments towards the LGBT community.
Ben Spencer partners Owen Farrell in the half-backs, with Brad Barritt and Alex Lozowski in the centre.
Liam Williams and Sean Maitland open on the wings and Alex Goode slots in at 15.
With the likes of Will Skelton, Schalk Burger and Richard Wigglesworth to call on from the bench, Saracens will be a constant threat throughout the game.
Whoever wins this game will be incredibly difficult as final opponents for either Leinster or Toulouse.
Key Battles:
Mako Vunipola vs Dave Kilcoyne = This game could be won or lost at the breakdown and the set-piece. Although they won’t be on the same side of the scrum both of these will be vital to pushing their team toward the final. Kilcoyne will also be expected to put in as many big hits as possible on the English star who will look to burst holes in the Munster defence. These two could hold the key to their side’s success or failure.
Billy Vunipola vs CJ Stander = Two massive ball carriers and two massive players for their respective teams. Vunipola will be under pressure to perform following his off-field antics over the past couple of weeks, while Stander will need to lead from the front as always. The personal battle of these is reason enough to watch this game.
Owen Farrell vs Tyler Bleyendaal = Farrell has been in remarkable form this year and after missing out on a Six Nations title and the quarter-final of the Champions Cup he will wan to add the trophy to his cabinet. Bleyendaal is another who has had an amazing spell this year and will need to be at his best to keep Farrell from turning screw on Munster. Both kickers will need their accuracy to be on point as every point will count in this clash.
No matter who comes out on top on Saturday one thing is for sure it will be well deserved as we could be in for a real treat of a game if both sides get into their groove.
The Munster squad have started preparations at the HPC ahead of Saturday’s sold-out clash against the All Blacks XV at Thomond Park (5.30pm).
The game will be exclusively live-streamed on Access Munster, sign up here.
Pinergy, Munster Rugby’s official energy partner, are the presenting partners for the clash.
On the injury front, there were no fresh concerns following Saturday’s clash against the Sharks in Durban.
Peter O’Mahony (hamstring), who has been included in Ireland’s Autumn Nations Series squad but is continuing his rehabilitation at the HPC, will increase his training load this week. His availability for this weekend’s clash against the All Blacks XV will be determined later in the week.
Brian Gleeson (shoulder) and Diarmuid Kilgallen (leg) came through the weekend with no issues after returning to action with Garryowen in the AIL.
On the international front, Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and Alex Kendellen have travelled to Portugal with the Ireland squad ahead of the Autumn Nations Series.
Continuing to rehab: Shane Daly (leg), Jeremy Loughman (knee), Alex Nankivell (hip), Josh Wycherley (neck), Mark Donnelly (ankle), Dave Kilcoyne (ankle), Oli Jager (neck), Liam Coombes (leg), Thaakir Abrahams (thigh), Patrick Campbell (shoulder), Cian Hurley (knee), Edwin Edogbo (Achilles), Roman Salanoa (knee).
Tickets
Saturday, November 2
Munster v All Blacks XV, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; SOLD OUT – Watch live on Access Munster here
URC Round 7: Saturday, November 30
Munster v Emirates Lions, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
Champions Cup Round 1: Saturday, December 7
Munster v Stade Francais, Thomond Park, 5:30pm; Buy tickets here
Champions Cup Round 3: Saturday, January 11
Munster v Saracens, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 9: Friday, December 27
Munster v Leinster, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 11: Saturday, February 15
Munster v Scarlets, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 12: Friday, February 28
Munster v Edinburgh, Virgin Media Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 15: Saturday, April 19
Munster v Bulls, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 17: Friday, May 9
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 18: Friday, May 16
Munster v Benetton, Virgin Media Park, 8pm; Buy tickets here
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to announce that Academy trio Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan and Mark Donnelly will be promoted to the senior squad in the summer.
We can also confirm that hooker Scott Buckley, who graduated from the Academy to the senior squad in 2022, has signed a contract extension.
Out-half Butler, scrum-half Coughlan (both 21) and 22-year-old prop Donnelly have all signed on for the next two seasons after impressing over their three years in the Academy.
Butler and Coughlan become the first Ennis RFC players to earn senior Munster contracts.
As previously confirmed, Academy lock Edwin Edogbo (21), who also came up through the Munster Youths system with Cobh Pirates, will graduate from the Academy to the senior squad on a two-year deal next season.
Buckley, Butler, Coughlan and Donnelly all made their Munster debuts in the famous Champions Cup win over Wasps in December 2021.
Tony Butler in action against Dragons.
Ennis out-half Tony Butler has earned his first senior contract after a very productive three years in the Academy.
He has made six senior appearances to date, including two starts so far this season against Dragons and Connacht.
A Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s in 2022, Butler now plays his AIL rugby with Young Munster having previously lined out for Garryowen.
He captained Ennis at underage level, teaming up with Coughlan in the half-backs as they enjoyed success in the Munster U16 and U18 Clubs competitions.
Scrum-half Ethan Coughlan is enjoying an excellent campaign with three starts so far this year and eight senior appearances in total since joining the Academy.
He enjoyed great success alongside Butler with Ennis RFC at underage level before captaining the Ireland U18 Clubs team.
He also won a Grand Slam with the Ireland U20s in 2022 and plays his AIL rugby with Shannon.
Prop Mark Donnelly has already made nine senior appearances for Munster after coming up through the ranks at Midleton RFC, Midleton College and CBC.
He was a Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup winner with CBC in 2019 and featured for the Ireland U20s in the 2021 Six Nations.
He joined the Academy that summer before making his Munster debut along with Buckley, Butler and Coughlan against Wasps in December 2021
Along with his nine senior Munster appearances, Donnelly has also played regularly for Garryowen in the AIL over the past three years.
Mark Donnelly at Munster training.
Hooker Scott Buckley (23) has signed a one-year contract having made 25 appearances for Munster to date.
A product of the Munster Rugby Academy, Buckley started out with Kinsale RFC before captaining CBC to the Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup in 2019.
He was Player of the Match against Wasps on his Munster debut and made nine appearances last season as Munster won the URC title.
A UCC clubman, he scored the match-winning try against Crusaders at Páirc Ui Chaoimh earlier this month.
Scott Buckley scores a try against Leinster in pre-season.
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby are pleased to confirm the signing of 23-year-old winger Diarmuid Kilgallen on a two-year deal ahead of the 2024/25 season.
In further contract news, hooker Eoghan Clarke has signed a one-year deal for next season after rejoining Munster in November.
Prop Keynan Knox has completed his time at the province after scoring three tries in 33 appearances and we wish him all the best for the future.
Diarmuid Kilgallen in action against Ulster in November.
Kilgallen hails from Eadestown in Kildare and has scored 12 tries in 22 appearances for Connacht to date.
He started out at Naas RFC before playing schools rugby for Cistercian College Roscrea on the Tipperary-Offaly border.
He joined the Connacht Academy in 2019 and made his debut against Munster in 2020.
A tall, athletic winger, he scored five tries in eight appearances last season and has five tries in six appearances so far this year.
Eoghan Clarke made his first start for Munster against Crusaders earlier this month.
25-year-old hooker Clarke has signed on for next year after impressing since returning to the province in November.
Clarke spent three years in the Munster Academy before departing for Jersey Reds in 2021. He won the English Championship with Jersey last season but the club went into liquidation in October.
He has made five appearances for Munster since returning, including a debut against Bayonne in December and a first start against Crusaders at Páirc Uí Chaoimh earlier this month.
24-year-old tighthead prop Knox departs after over seven years at Munster Rugby.
He joined the Academy midway through the 2017/18 season after completing his second level education with Michaelhouse in South Africa.
The Young Munster clubman made his senior debut against Dragons in September 2019 and moved up to the senior squad in 2020.
Knox featured in eight games last season as Munster clinched the URC title. In total, he scored three tries in 33 Munster appearances.
We wish Keynan all the best with his next move.
Keynan Knox at training last month.
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
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