Munster Much-Changed For Edinburgh Game
Nine players have been brought into the Munster team for Friday’s Magners League meeting with Edinburgh at Thomond Park (kick-off 7.50pm).
Of the six players retained from the defeat to Benetton Treviso, only Doug Howlett, Damien Varley, Tommy O’Donnell and James Coughlan will start in the same positions.
Lifeimi Mafi switches to outside centre to accommodate the move of Paul Warwick to inside centre from out-half where he played in Treviso.
Ronan O’Gara returns to the side as does Peter Stringer and Denis Leamy, who will captain the side from blindside flanker.
Mick O’Driscoll, who led the Munster revival when introduced against Treviso, partners Donnacha Ryan in the second row and O’Donnell and Coughlan form the back row combination with the experienced Leamy.
O’Driscoll said: “I think the positive from the Treviso game was the way we finished. We came back into it and put ourselves in position to achieve a victory had had looked unlikely when they went 16-3 up.
“We started with a lot of young lads that day and that’s something else I would consider a positive.
“So, I think what we have to do is look to build on that finish from the start tomorrow night. We need to bounce back and keep ourselves in line for a place in the knock-out stages of the Magners League which was one of our aims at the start of the season.”
The province’s replacements bench includes fit-again front rowers Denis Fogarty and Marcus Horan who have been getting game-time with Cork Constitution and Shannon respectively in the Ulster Bank League.
Tickets for Friday’s game can be purchased from the ticket office at Thomond Park, the Munster Rugby offices in Tramore Road in Cork and the Munster Rugby Stores in O’Connell Street in Limerick and Maylor Street in Cork.
Tickets are also available to buy from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and online here.
MUNSTER (v Edinburgh): Johne Murphy; Doug Howlett, Lifeimi Mafi, Paul Warwick, Denis Hurley; Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer; Wian du Preez, Damien Varley, Tony Buckley, Donnacha Ryan, Mick O’Driscoll, Denis Leamy (capt), Tommy O’Donnell, James Coughlan.
Replacements: Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan, Stephen Archer, Ian Nagle, Billy Holland, Duncan Williams, Tom Gleeson, Simon Zebo.