Munster Select Strongest Side
Munster travel to Ravenhill on Friday next for the final game in the Guinness Interprovincial Championship, a game that will attract a large attendance and, no doubt, one or two from Leicester.
Declan Kidney has named the same that finished the European Cup semi-final against Castres, for Friday’s encounter. With Anthony Foley and Jim Williams still on the injured list that means a new look back-row of Donnacha O’Callaghan, David Wallace and Alan Quinlan at number 8.
Ronan O’Gara who suffered a nasty knee gash, that required 13 stitches is fully recovered and is set to take his place alongside peter Stringer.
Williams and Foley have resumed training, albeit in a limited way, and both face a race against time to be in consideration for a place in the starting line up for the Millennium Stadium.
As is his wont, Kidney refuses to rule either player in or out of the European Cup final picture. Jim begins jogging at the end of the week and Anthony did a little light exercise this week. Obviously it’s a question of time but right now our focus is on Friday night and the game against Ulster. It’s a championship game. It’s going to be a tough, we know that, these type of matches always are.. We don’t have a great record at Ravenhill, it’s their last game and players will be anxious to impress with a view to contracts next season.
But from our point of view we prepare the same as we do for every game. We take each game as it comes. Any of our players who played there in the friendly’ last time will be under no illusions of what to expect.
Munster travel to Belfast on Thursday and return directly after the game on Friday night.
Munster: D Crotty; J Kelly, R Henderson, J Holland, A Horgan; R O’Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, F Sheahan, J Hayes, M Galwey (capt), P O’Connell, D O’Callaghan, D Wallace, A Quinlan.
Replacements. M Horan, J Fogarty, M O’Driscoll, C McMahon, M Prendergast, M Mullins, J Staunton.