Munster ‘A’ Make Five Changes For Nottingham Trip

There are five personnel changes to the Munster ‘A’ side that faced Worcester Warriors last weekend, as Mick O’Driscoll continues to combine the experience of senior squad members with developing talent from the Munster Academy and sub-Academy ranks.

In the front row Alan Cotter and hooker Niall Scannell remain in situ, while Academy prop Rory Burke is promoted from the bench to start at tighthead.

Having featured in the interprovincial game against Leinster ‘A’ earlier this month, Donncha O’Callaghan makes his second Munster ‘A’ appearance of the season and will partner Sean McCarthy in the second row.

This weekend sees Shane Buckley make the switch from lock to blindside flanker, with Barry O’Mahony and captain Jack O’Donoghue continuing at openside and number 8 respectively.

In the half-backs Cathal Sheridan is partnered by returning out-half Johnny Holland who makes his first appearance for the province since suffering a shoulder injury against Zebre last month.

A new centre partnership sees Rory Scannell move from out-half to inside centre alongside Dan Goggin – another player promoted from the bench. Full-back Stephen Fitzgerald will make his second start of the current campaign, coming in to join Ronan O’Mahony and Greg O’Shea in the back-three.

Returning senior player Sean Dougall has been named among the replacements as have Cork Constitution duo Ger Sweeney and Ned Hodson. Sweeney previously featured for Munster ‘A’ in interprovincial action, while Hodson impressed for Munster at the summer’s World Club Sevens tournament in Limerick.

MUNSTER ‘A’ (v Nottingham): Stephen Fitzgerald; Greg O’Shea, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Johnny Holland, Cathal Sheridan; Alan Cotter, Niall Scannell, Rory Burke, Donncha O’Callaghan, Sean McCarthy, Shane Buckley, Barry O’Mahony, Jack O’Donoghue (capt).

Replacements: Max Abbott, Ger Sweeney, Darragh Moloney, Sean Dougall, Jamie Glynn, Alex Wootton, Ned Hodson.