Categories: European Rugby Munster Provincial URC

Seven Changes For Munster As O’Riordan Set For Debut

Limerick youngster Jake O'Riordan is pictured during Munster's open training session at Castleisland RFC last month ©INPHO/James Crombie

The Munster team has been named for Saturday’s URC round five Interpro derby against Connacht at Thomond Park.

Tickets are available here for the 7.45pm kick-off.

Jack O’Donoghue leads the side with seven changes to the starting XV that beat Leinster at Croke Park last week.

John Hodnett and Diarmuid Kilgallen both start on their first appearances of the campaign after recovering from injury.

Alex Nankivell, JJ Hanrahan, Lee Barron, Jean Kleyn and Gavin Coombes slot back into the side after featuring as replacements last week.

Academy scrum-half Jake O’Riordan is named in a matchday squad for the first time and set for his Munster debut.

The 20-year-old came up through the ranks at Bruff RFC before lining out for St. Munchin’s College in the Pinergy Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup.

A Young Munster clubman, Jake has also played for Bruff and UL Bohs in the AIL. He will be the third Academy player to feature in the URC so far this season.

Evan O’Connell and Shay McCarthy are also in line for their first appearances of the season with 41 players named in matchday squads over the first five rounds of the URC season.

Shane Daly, Kilgallen and Thaakir Abrahams start in the back three with Nankivell and Dan Kelly, who moves to outside centre, in midfield.

Ethan Coughlan and Hanrahan pair up in the half-backs.

Michael Milne, Lee Barron and John Ryan pack down in the front row. Kleyn and Fineen Wycherley, who has started every game so far this season, are named in the engine room.

O’Donoghue, Hodnett and Coombes complete the side.

Niall Scannell, Jeremy Loughman and Academy prop Ronan Foxe provide the front row back-up as O’Connell and Ruadhán Quinn complete the forward cover.

O’Riordan, Tony Butler and McCarthy are the backline replacements.

MUNSTER (v Connacht): Shane Daly; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; JJ Hanrahan, Ethan Coughlan; Michael Milne, Lee Barron, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Donoghue (capt), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Ruadhán Quinn, Jake O’Riordan, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy.