Ryan And O’Donnell To Start For Munster Against Glasgow
Munster head coach Anthony Foley has made five changes to the team for Friday’s GUINNESS PRO12 encounter with Glasgow Warriors at Rugby Park in Kilmarnock (kick-off 7.35pm).
Following their involvement in the opening two rounds of the RBS 6 Nations, Donnacha Ryan, Tommy O’Donnell and James Cronin are available to the province for this round 15 game.
O’Donnell and Ryan make up two of three changes to the pack, while prop Cronin is named among the replacements. The only other alteration up front comes at hooker with Niall Scannell packing down between Dave Kilcoyne and John Ryan.
Captain Billy Holland switches positions to start alongside Ryan in the second row for the first time this season, while in the back row, O’Donnell starts at openside flanker with Jack O’Donoghue moving to the blindside and Robin Copeland remaining at number 8.
The first of two changes across the back-line comes at half-back where Tomas O’Leary resumes his partnership with Ian Keatley.
David Johnston also comes in to form an all-Academy centre pairing with Rory Scannell, and Ronan O’Mahony, Darren Sweetnam and Andrew Conway make up the back-three once again.
Should he feature off the bench, Academy back rower Conor Oliver will make his first competitive appearance for Munster, while Johnny Holland has recovered from a long-term hamstring injury for his first inclusion in a PRO12 squad since November 2014.
MUNSTER (v Glasgow Warriors): Andrew Conway; Darren Sweetnam, David Johnston, Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Ian Keatley, Tomas O’Leary; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland (capt), Jack O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Mike Sherry, James Cronin, Mario Sagario, Dave Foley, Conor Oliver, Duncan Williams, Johnny Holland, Cian Bohane.