MUNSTER have named their team for tomorrow’s crunch Heineken European Champions Cup outing against Northampton Saints at 3.15 pm in Thomond Park.
There are nine personnel changes and one positional switch to the side that secured a bonus-point win over Lions at Musgrave Park a week ago. Roman Salanoa keeps his place at tighthead and will make his first Champions Cup start.
Joey Carbery, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Antoine Frisch and Calvin Nash come into the backline.
Casey and Carbery renew their half-back partnership with Crowley and Frisch starting together in the centres for the third time this season.
Winger Nash joins Shane Daly and full-back Mike Haley in the back three.
Captain Peter O’Mahony, Tadhg Beirne, Dave Kilcoyne and Niall Scannell start in the pack with Gavin Coombes moving from the second row to no.8.
Kilcoyne and Scannell join Salanoa in the front row with Beirne and Jean Kleyn in the engine room.
Jack O’Donoghue continues his record of playing in every game so far this season with O’Mahony and Gavin Coombes completing the back row.
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Jack Crowley, Shane Daly; Joey Carbery, Craig Casey; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Roman Salanoa; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Jack O’Donoghue, Peter O’Mahony (captain), Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Scott Buckley, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen, Paddy Patterson, Rory Scannell, Liam Coombes.
Also announced is the Munster side for the Women’s Interprovincial Championship clash with Leinster earlier in the day at Musgrave Park (12.15pm).
Rachel Allen and Alana McInerney both come into the team.
Munster: Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC); Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC), Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC), Rachel Allen (UL Bohemian RFC), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC); Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC) (C), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC); Róisín Ormond (Ballincollig RFC), Kate Sheehan (UL Bohemian RFC), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemian RFC); Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC); Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC), Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College RFC), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC).
Replacements: Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC), Gillian Coombes (Ballincollig RFC), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Sarah Garrett (UL Bohemian RFC), Ciara Farrell (UL Bohemian RFC), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Carroll (Railway Union RFC), Laura Sheehan (Exeter Chiefs).
Meanwhile in GAA, joint-captains Donal O’Sullivan and Iain Corbett return to the starting blocks for Limerick’s McGrath Cup semi-final against Tipperary in Fethard (note change of venue) this Saturday (2pm). The side also includes exciting newcomer Jack Ryan.
Limerick: Donal O’Sullivan (Monaleen); David Connolly (Adare), Seán O’Dea (Kilteely/Dromkeen), Brian Fanning (Pallasgreen); Barry Coleman (Rathkeale), Iain Corbett (Newcastle West), Jack Ryan (Dromcollogher/Broadford); Cillian Fahy (Dromcollogher/Broadford), Colm McSweeney (Gerald Griffins); Paul Maher (Adare), Cian Sheehan (Newcastle West), Adrian Enright (Fr. Casey’s); Robbie Bourke (Adare), Cillian Ryan (Mungret/St. Paul’s), Cathal Downes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry).
Subs: Aaron O’Sullivan (Pallasgreen), Gordon Brown (Na Piarsaigh), Michael Donovan (Galbally), Davy Lyons (Adare), Tony McCarthy (Kildimo/Pallaskenry), James Molyneaux (Dromcollogher/Broadford), Peter Nash (Kildimo/Pallaskenry), James Naughton (St. Senan’s), Dara Noonan (Gerald Griffins), Ruadhan O’Connor (Newcastle West), Eoin O’Shea (Monaleen).
The Limerick XV to face Cork in Sunday’s Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League at Páirc Uí Rinn will be announced this Friday, 9pm. It will be available on Limerick GAA social media channels.
