O’Gara To Start For Munster
Ronan O’Gara, Donnacha Ryan and Peter O’Mahony will all be in the Munster starting line-up when they resume their RaboDirect PRO12 campaign against Benetton Treviso at the Stadio di Monigo on Saturday (kick-off 4.15pm local time/3.15pm Irish time).
Ronan O’Gara will line out at half-back alongside Tomas O’Leary. His most recent league appearance, in early January, was also against Benetton Treviso when his nine-point contribution helped Munster claim a 29-11 home win.
Also included in the province’s matchday squad this weekend is the fit-again Felix Jones, who has been named on the replacements bench along with the returning Tommy O’Donnell.
It is the first time this season that Jones has been named in a Munster squad after suffering a foot injury in the home August international against France, while O’Donnell has been out of action since the Ulster derby clash in December.
Second row Mick O’Driscoll will captain the side as Tony McGahan’s men look to continue their winning run in 2012 – they beat Treviso, Castres Olympique and Northampton Saints last month.
MUNSTER (v Benetton Treviso): Denis Hurley; Johne Murphy, Danny Barnes, Lifeimi Mafi, Simon Zebo; Ronan O’Gara, Tomas O’Leary; Wian du Preez, Damien Varley, BJ Botha, Donnacha Ryan, Mick O’Driscoll (capt), David O’Callaghan, Peter O’Mahony, James Coughlan.
Replacements: Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan, Stephen Archer, Billy Holland, Tommy O’Donnell, Duncan Williams, Scott Deasy, Felix Jones.