TONY McGahan has named a youthful looking Munster side to face Sale Sharks in their pre season friendly in Musgrave Park on Friday evening at 7pm.
With the internationals and Churchill Cup squad members not available for selection, there’s a total of 9 player from the starting XV will wear the Munster jersey for the first time
although three of those – wing Danny Riordan, scrum-half Toby Morland and hooker Damien Varley – are experienced campaigners, wing Riordan with Connacht, Morland as scrum-half to Super 14 finalists Waikato Chiefs and hooker Varley after his time with London Wasps.
Paul Warwick captains a side that includes Academy and Sub Academy players and two former Academy members, Billy Holland and Tom Gleeson who this season are promoted to full contracts.
Two other Munster Academy products, Dave Ryan and Tommy O’Donnell, now on Development contracts with the squad also feature and after a week’s training in the sun in Portugal coach Tony McGahan is confident his proteges will give a good account of themselves.
“Yes it is by and large a young squad although there are a few wise heads among them. The internationals and Churchill Cup players are not available to us while Doug (Howlett) and Lifeimi (Mafi) are carrying littles niggles. Nothing serious.”
Munster: Scott Deasy; Danny Riordan, Tom Gleeson, Paul Warwick capt, Danny Barnes; Jeremy Manning, Toby Morland; Dave Ryan, Damien Varley, Stephen Archer; Billy Holland, Ian Nagle; Nick Williams, Tommy O’Donnell, Kieran Essex. Replacements: Mike Sherry, Julien Brugnaut, Dave O’Callaghan, Eoghan Grace, Conor Murray, Andrew Burke, Finbar Ahern, Dave Kilcoyne, Brian Hayes, Ronan O’Mahony, Declan Cusack.
Sale: Nick Macleod, Marika Vakacegu, Chris Bell, Lee Thomas, Oriol Ripol, Charlie Hodgson (Captain), Will Cliff, Rob O’Donnell, Neil Briggs, Jack Forster, Chris Jones, Brent Cockbain, James Gaskell, David Seymour, David Tait
Meanwhile, Ulster Rugby confirmed that their captain and Irish international, Rory Best, will miss the entire 2009/10 season due to injury. Best is suffering from an underlying chronic disc condition in his neck which requires surgery and a recovery period of up to 9 months.
