Munster Build For Thomond Date With Treviso
Munster trained in the University of Limerick today as preparations continue for the visit of Benetton Treviso to Thomond Park on Saturday in the RaboDirect PRO12 (kick-off 7.15pm).
Ireland captain Paul O’Connell was in attendance but did not train as he continues to recover from a bruising Six Nations campaign that ended with Championship glory in Paris on Saturday.
Munster lie second in the PRO12 table after the narrow defeat to the Scarlets in Wales on March 1 ended the province’s five-game winning streak.
Commenting on O’Connell’s presence at training, Munster head coach Rob Penney said: “Paul has been floating around. You wouldn’t be (surprised to see him), would you, knowing the man? He can’t wait to be back in amongst it.
“He is captain of the group which has just won the Six Nations and he is back here on the first available training day with his province, adding value as much as he can.”
O’Connell and his Munster colleagues Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony featured in Ireland’s title-clinching victory over France.
“A couple of the lads (Murray and O’Mahony) are certainly not available, we are just working through the selections but it’s more than likely that the three of them will be for next week (for the Leinster match),” explained Penney.
The Treviso clash is one of only three Thomond Park fixtures scheduled for the remainder of the league campaign.
The Italian club lie second-from-bottom in the table but beat Munster 29-19 at the Stadio di Monigo in the third game of the season back in September.
Penney’s side had led that game 19-9 with 30 minutes remaining but Treviso stormed back to score two converted tries and two penalties in the final half hour with Munster having four players sent to the sin-bin over the 80 minutes.
Tries from Keith Earls, Stephen Archer and a penalty try had put Munster in control, but two tries from winger Ludovico Nitoglia and five successful Mat Berquist penalties gave Treviso a deserved triumph.
It marked a second successive home win for the Italians over Munster after last February’s 34-10 hammering. Treviso scored five tries that day with Munster’s only reply coming from a converted penalty try and an Ian Keatley penalty.
You can purchase tickets for Saturday’s game in Limerick online here.
Hospitality tickets are available online here or you can contact the Sales Development Executive on 0876202530 or via email: anthonymorrissey@munsterrugby.ie.