Munster Include O’Connell And O’Gara
Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara have both been included in Munster’s squad for Friday’s Magners League clash with the Cardiff Blues at Cardiff City Stadium (kick-off 7.05pm).
The full Munster squad trained in brilliant sunshine today at the University of Limerick and afterwards head coach Tony McGahan named a 29-man squad for the start of what will be a very busy few weeks for Munster.
Speaking at this afternoon’s press conference, McGahan said there is ‘a great buzz’ in the camp now that all the Ireland players are back and obviously on a high after their good end to the Six Nations campaign.
Munster’s last win away to the Cardiff Blues was in November 2005 and the Welsh side represent a huge challenge for Munster as even though the province hold top spot in the table, Cardiff lie in fifth place with a game in hand.
Out of the six sides in contention for a Magners League play-off spot, Munster still have to play four of them starting with the Blues, then Leinster, the Scarlets and the Ospreys.
The Munster team and replacements for the Cardiff game will be named on Thursday afternoon.
MUNSTER Squad (v Cardiff Blues) – Backs (11): Scott Deasy, Felix Jones, Doug Howlett, Keith Earls, Sam Tuitupou, Lifeimi Mafi, Johne Murphy, Conor Murray, Peter Stringer, Declan Cusack, Ronan O’Gara.
Forwards (18): Wian du Preez, Tony Buckley, Marcus Horan, Stephen Archer, John Hayes, Damien Varley, Mike Sherry, Denis Fogarty, Paul O’Connell, Mick O’Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan, Donncha O’Callaghan, David Wallace, Peter O’Mahony, Niall Ronan, James Coughlan, Denis Leamy, Tommy O’Donnell.