Casey Leads Returning Internationals For Munster’s Clash With Bath

Munster Men’s head coach Clayton McMillan has finalised a 38-strong squad for Friday’s pre-season encounter with Bath at Virgin Media Park (kick-off 7pm – live on Access Munster). Tickets are available to buy here.

Craig Casey, Ireland’s summer tour captain, is one of five returning internationals, alongside Tom Ahern, Gavin Coombes, Alex Kendellen, and Michael Milne. Ahern, Kendellen, and Milne return to provincial duty after making their Ireland debuts in July.

Two Munster teams – the first one will be captained by Niall Scannell, and the second led by Casey – have been named for the match against the English champions, with game-time to be split evenly. There are also eight replacements due to be involved.

It will be an extended fixture in Cork with a match duration of 90 minutes. Instead of a half-time interval, there will be a 10-minute break after 30 minutes, and a 10-minute break after 60 minutes.

New signings JJ Hanrahan, Dan Kelly, and Conor Ryan will play their first home games since joining in the summer. All three players were involved in last week’s late 14-12 defeat to Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Conor Bartley and Academy flanker Michael Foy (pictured above) are set to make their first senior appearances for Munster. Both are listed on the bench, and the 19-year-old Foy, entering his second year in the Academy, made eight starts for the Ireland Under-20s last season.

Like the returning Ireland internationals, Ben O’Connor, Fionn Gibbons, who missed most of last season due to an ACL injury, Gordon Wood, and Ronan Foxe will make their first appearances of the campaign.

Six members of Munster’s Academy are included in the squad for McMillan’s first home game in charge – Foy, O’Connor, Wood, Foxe, Max Clein, and Seán Edogbo.

Fresh from captaining Ireland to victory against Georgia and Portugal, scrum half Casey will lead Munster for the first time in his career when he takes to the pitch. Munster will wear their new adidas home jersey, which is available here from Life Style Sports.

McMillan commented: “I’m excited for it. I know that getting down to Cork is something that the players enjoy doing, and we are certainly well aware that we are a representation of six counties.

“To get down there (to Virgin Media Park) and play a game, especially this early in the season, is going to be good. Bath have had an amazing year, in the most recent season.

“I imagine we’re going to learn some more things about ourselves that will put us in really good stead for our internal hit-out the following week, and then Scarlets in round 1 of the URC.”

MUNSTER (Team 1): Shane Daly; Andrew Smith, Seán O’Brien, Dan Kelly, Diarmuid Kilgallen; JJ Hanrahan, Ethan Coughlan; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell (capt), Oli Jager, Evan O’Connell, Tom Ahern, Ruadhán Quinn, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.

MUNSTER (Team 2): Mike Haley; Ben O’Connor, Fionn Gibbons, Gordon Wood, Thaakir Abrahams; Tony Butler, Craig Casey (capt); Michael Milne, Lee Barron, John Ryan, Conor Ryan, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson.

Replacements: Max Clein, Mark Donnelly, Conor Bartley, Ronan Foxe, Michael Foy, Seán Edogbo, Paddy Patterson, Shay McCarthy.