Categories: Main News Munster Provincial URC

Four Changes For Munster

Munster head coach Tony McGahan has made four changes in personnel to the team for Friday’s RaboDirect PRO12 encounter with Glasgow Warriors at Firhill Stadium (kick-off 7.30pm).

The sole change in the back-line sees Simon Zebo slot in on the left wing at the expense of Denis Hurley, who picked up a slight hamstring injury in last Saturday’s win over the Newport Gwent Dragons.

In the front row, Tony McGahan has, by and large, just reversed the order from last weekend, with Wian du Preez, Damien Varley and John Hayes starting on this occasions ahead of Marcus Horan and Stephen Archer.

Hooker Mike Sherry, whom Varley is replacing, misses out due to the shoulder knock he sustained against the Dragons.

Munster boss McGahan expressed his satisfaction with his side’s first half performance in their league opener, but knows they have to improve their discipline as Varley, stand-in captain Peter O’Mahony and Lifeimi Mafi were all sin-binned in the second period.

“We had three (yellow cards) against London Irish the week before and we had three against the Dragons. It’s clearly not good enough,” he said.

“We need to cop on to that regardless of the referee’s interpretation. There will be some 50-50 calls. It’s the same for both sides.

“But we saw retaliation, repeated penalties, high tackles. That’s not what we’re about. We need to address that.”

What must have pleased him though was the rearguard action Munster mounted in that period that saw the Dragons restricted to just two penalty goals.

He will look for more of the same in Glasgow on Friday in a fixture that has always been one of the province’s most difficult of the season.

MUNSTER (v Glasgow Warriors): Johne Murphy; Doug Howlett, Danny Barnes, Lifeimi Mafi, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Peter Stringer; Wian du Preez, Damien Varley, John Hayes, Billy Holland, Mick O’Driscoll, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Niall Ronan, James Coughlan.

Replacements: Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan, Stephen Archer, Dave Foley, Tommy O’Donnell, Duncan Williams, Scott Deasy, Tom Gleeson.