MUNSTER face Northampton Saints this Saturday at 6pm in the final pool game of this season’s Heineken Cup. Munster having won five from five in the tournament have secured a quarter final berth. Tony Mc Gahan’s men will now face last season’s finalists knowing that a win may be needed to secure a home a quarter final.
A fixture both fans and management will be looking for due to the advantage Thomond Park will offer.
This time last season, Munster were under the microscope due to their failure to qualify for the last eight. A new look Munster side took to the field this season and have so far scraped their way through to the knock out phases without setting the World of rugby on fire.
Ahead of this weekend’s game, the Munster management have added Felix Jones and Christy Condon to the squad.
To register the players Munster had to de-register two of those who had been included in the original squad and in that case John Hayes (retired) makes way for Condon while Peter Stringer provides the slot for Jones who is expected to make a return to action next month.
Munster are still without the services of Niall Ronan, (knee), Denis Leamy (hip) Mike Sherry (ankle) David Wallace (knee), Felix Jones (foot) Doug Howlett (Achilles), Darragh Hurley (back), Tommy O’Donnell (knee), Tom Gleeson, Jerry Flannery (back).
With the loss of Jones and Howlett being felt most, Munster find themselves in a unique position of having secured play off rugby, yet still struggling to find form.
Should a win be secured this weekend, Munster will go into the quarter finals as one of the favourites for the tournament with room for improvement.
Munster’s lack of attacking prowess particularly from the centres, (which might explain Chambers inclusion once more) and wing is worrying but something that might be helped with more game time and of course, the return of Jones. Glass half full at this stage though.
Munster Squad: Marcus Horan, Wian du Preez, John Ryan, Stephen Archer, BJ Botha, Damien Varley, Denis Fogarty, Donnacha Ryan, Paul O’Connell, Donncha O’Callaghan, Ian Nagle, Mick O’Driscoll, Peter O’Mahony, James Coughlan, Billy Holland, Dave O’Callaghan, Conor Murray, Tomas O’Leary, Duncan Williams, Ronan O’Gara, Ian Keatley, Danny Barnes, Simon Zebo, Will Chambers, Lifeimi Mafi, Keith Earls, Johne Murphy, Denis Hurley.
