Munster OnThe High Road

Munster travel to Meadowbank for their game with unbeaten Edinburgh and do so without their international half back pairing of Peter Stringer and Ronan O’Gara. Stringer has been asked to rest and O’Gara suffered an ear laceration in last Saturday’s game against Romania.
Dominic Malone therefore continues at out-half, partnered on this occasion by Jason Holland. Holland played in the centre against Ebbw Vale, and his place in the centre goes to Rob Henderson with John O’Neill squeezing out Mossie Lawlor for the wing berth because international John Kelly is available.

In the pack, Frank Sheahan, (for James Blaney) and John Hayes, (for Simon Kerr), return to the front row, young tyro Donncha O’Callaghan comes in for Mick Galwey and Anthony Foley returns to the back row, Colm McMahon losing out in the subsequent re-shuffle.

New Zealanders,Todd Blackadder and Brendan Laney have played key roles in transforming Edinburgh Rugby – and something will have to go at Meadowbank on Friday night when they take on Munster in what must be the match of Round 3 in Pool A of the Celtic League.

With just six out of the 14 teams still able to boast a 100 per cent record after two series of games, Edinburgh believe that table-topping Munster will provide them with a real marker of their quarter-final prospects in a clash of two of those unbeaten sides.
And Edinburgh coach Frank Hadden is adamant that former All Black captain Blackadder and Scotland full back Laney have been major influences in their two from two record so far.

“Todd came to Edinburgh at just the right time for us, when we had a very young but talented squad,” said Hadden.
” What those talented young players needed was guidance from experienced players – and Todd and Brendan have accelerated that process.”
” I am reasonably happy with the way things have gone so far and we are really looking forward to playing Munster, to see how we have progressed.”
” We had a few breaks going our way in Belfast last week and, to be honest, we didn’t play that well against Ulster. But to win at Ravenhill is quite an achievement and we are now taking a more positive attitude with us when we go on the road. We want to get on a roll so we start pulling in the crowds and getting the sort of support that the Irish teams get in their home games. They also started from a low base several years ago and look at their fantastic support now.”

Munster. Jeremy Staunton; John Kelly, Mike Mullins, Rob Henderson, John O’Neill; Jason Holland. Dominic Malone; Marcus Horan, Frank Sheahan, John Hayes; Donncha O’Callaghan, Mick O’Driscoll; Jim Williams, Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley.

Replacements. Simon Kerr, James Blaney, Mick Galwey, Eddie Halvey, Mike Prendergast, Killian Keane, Dominic Crotty.