Munster will hope to put a different complexion on European Champions Cup Pool 4 when they visit the unbeaten Leicester Tigers at their Welford Road fortress.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 4: Sunday, December 20
LEICESTER TIGERS (1st) v MUNSTER (3rd), Welford Road, 5.15pm (live BT Sport Europe/RTÉ Radio 1/highlights TG4)
Team News: Munster complete their European Champions Cup back-to-back games against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road. The return fixture sees head coach Anthony Foley make three changes to the side that suffered a 31-19 home defeat last weekend.
All three changes are in the pack with hooker Mike Sherry and John Ryan joining James Cronin in the front row, while Australian Mark Chisholm starts in the second row with Donnacha Ryan.
An unchanged back-line sees Conor Murray and Ian Keatley continue at half-back, with Denis Hurley and Francis Saili in midfield and completing the back-three are Simon Zebo, Keith Earls and full-back Andrew Conway.
With BJ Botha continuing to follow the return-to-play protocols for a concussion sustained last weekend, Uruguayan international Mario Sagario is named among the replacements in his first Champions Cup matchday squad.
Looking forward to facing Tigers again, Sherry, one of Munster’s second half try scorers last weekend, said: “As expected, Leicester were good across the park. At set piece they had a good lineout, scrum and maul and Ben Youngs at scrum half was a big threat like we knew he would be, so that made it all the more disappointing for us to concede his try.
“As regards our own performance, I think we played very well at times but didn’t finish off a lot of the opportunities that we created as well as presenting them opportunities. That’s not to take away from Leicester, any opportunity they had they took it.
“This weekend’s game will definitely be attritional. As a forward pack we’re hurting after last weekend’s result so we have to front up, take them on and deliver on Sunday.
“I remember watching them when I was younger and they’d never lose at Welford Road and they’re back to being very strong at home. That’s the challenge but it’s very exciting to have the chance to go over there and prove ourselves.”
Meanwhile, Peter Betham and Freddie Burns return to the Leicester Tigers line-up for Sunday’s showdown with Munster. Australia international Betham is named alongside Matt Smith in the centre after missing the game in Limerick last weekend, while out-half Burns replaces Owen Williams who jarred a knee in that match.
There are no changes among the forwards for the second leg of the head-to-head fixtures, with Ed Slater leading the team on home soil.
Tom Croft has recovered from illness to take a place among the replacements in the only other change to last week’s matchday squad.
LEICESTER TIGERS: Telusa Veainu; Adam Thompstone, Peter Betham, Matt Smith, Vereniki Goneva; Freddie Burns, Ben Youngs; Marcos Ayerza, Tom Youngs, Dan Cole, Michael Fitzgerald, Graham Kitchener, Ed Slater (capt), Brendon O’Connor, Lachlan McCaffrey.
Replacements: Harry Thacker, Matias Aguero, Fraser Balmain, Dom Barrow, Tom Croft, Sam Harrison, Tommy Bell, Seremaia Bai.
MUNSTER: Andrew Conway; Keith Earls, Francis Saili, Denis Hurley, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; James Cronin, Mike Sherry, John Ryan, Mark Chisholm, Donnacha Ryan, Robin Copeland; Dave O’Callaghan, CJ Stander (capt).
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Dave Kilcoyne, Mario Sagario, Dave Foley, Jack O’Donoghue, Tomas O’Leary, Rory Scannell, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino.
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
Assistant Referees: Thomas Charabas, Salam Attalah (both France)
Television Match Official: Jean-Martie Piraveau (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leicester Tigers to win: 1/4; Draw: 19/1; Munster to win: 3/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Anthony Foley (Munster) – “We have gone through it. We have reviewed it. It is something that has crept into our game over the last three games. You go back to the Dragons game, you go back to the Connacht game. There were opportunities in those games but we butchered them in that green zone area.
“We have talked about it again. We have looked at how we train, how we go about training, what standards we set upon ourselves in training.
“You are what you do at times. Sometimes you turn a blind eye to maybe one or two things being dropped in training because you don’t see the significance of it. We have to tidy up a lot of that and make sure it is taken out of our game.
“It’s important as a group we look after the standards that are around the place, whether that’s the coaches, whether that’s the leaders, whether that’s the players. It has got to be everyone, and everyone has to be accountable for each other.
“There’s a lot of good characters in our group, and with that you know you have got to stand up and see where we are and see how we fronted up (on Monday). We had a good meeting, and good session (Tuesday). These guys haven’t backed away.
“The ‘A’ side were exceptional at training. They brought everything up to a standard that forced the squad for next weekend to be accurate, with a very competitive session.”
Richard Cockerill (Leicester Tigers) – “We got an important win at Thomond Park in a tough European pool. It is a place not many teams go to and win, especially in Europe, and I was delighted for the team.
“But no one is getting carried away. The game ebbed and flowed, Munster are a good side and they created opportunities. We probably got the rub of the green at times, but when our moments came, we managed to take them.
“We kept a foothold in the game when we needed to and the try from Ben Youngs was probably the defining moment. It is another massive challenge and a massive occasion when Munster come to Welford Road this Sunday.”
Current Form – Leicester Tigers – (Aviva Premiership): Won 28-16 away to London Irish; Won 22-19 at home to Harlequins; Won 24-16 at home to Wasps; Lost 19-6 away to Exeter Chiefs; (European Champions Cup): Won 33-20 at home to Stade Francais; Won 36-3 away to Benetton Treviso; (Aviva Premiership): Won 21-11 at home to Bath; Won 29-20 away to Worcester Warriors; (European Champions Cup): Won 31-19 away to Munster
Munster – (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 18-13 at home to Benetton Treviso; Won 20-18 away to the Ospreys; Won 23-21 at home to Glasgow Warriors; Won 35-27 at home to Cardiff Blues; Lost 25-22 away to the Scarlets; Won 32-28 at home to Ulster; Won 16-14 away to Edinburgh; (European Champions Cup): Won 32-7 at home to Benetton Treviso; (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 18-12 at home to Connacht; Lost 22-6 away to the Newport Gwent Dragons; (European Champions Cup): Lost 31-19 at home to Leicester Tigers
Top Scorers – 2015/16 European Champions Cup: Leicester Tigers – Points: Owen Williams 20; Tries: Telusa Veainu, Vereniki Goneva, Ben Youngs 2 each; Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 21; Tries: BJ Botha, CJ Stander, Duncan Casey, Simon Zebo, James Cronin, Mike Sherry 1 each
Previous European Meetings: 5
Saturday, December 12, 2015 – Pool 4 – Munster 19 Leicester Tigers 31, Thomond Park
Saturday, January 20, 2007 – Pool 4 – Munster 6 Leicester Tigers 13, Thomond Park
Sunday, October 22, 2006 – Pool 4 – Leicester Tigers 19 Munster 21, Welford Road
Sunday, April 13, 2003 – Quarter-final – Leicester Tigers 7 Munster 20, Welford Road
Saturday, May 25, 2002 – Final – Leicester Tigers 15 Munster 9, Millennium Stadium
Match Facts –
– All four meetings between these sides that have been at the home of one of the teams (excluding the 2002 final) have been won by the away side
– Leicester have won 26 and drawn two of their last 29 matches on home turf in the European Cup, their only loss coming against Irish opponents (Ulster)
– Munster have won five of their last eight away fixtures in the European Cup despite losing their last two such games
– Munster have averaged just 60 completed tackles per game so far, fewer than any other side in the competition
– Brendon O’Connor has won more turnovers than any other player this season (7)
– Munster are one of just five sides yet to be awarded a yellow or red card in this campaign
– When Munster last visited England they suffered their heaviest ever defeat in an away game against English opposition, losing 33-10 to Saracens
– This is the first time Leicester have faced Irish opposition in the back-to-back round 3 and 4 fixtures of European rugby since 2004, when they beat Ulster at home and lost on the road
– Tigers have won six of 10 home games against Irish opposition in the European Cup, including three of the last four matches
European Cup Records:
Leicester Tigers –
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Reached the quarter-finals
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2010/11: Reached the quarter-finals
2009/10: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2008/09: Runners-up
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2006/07: Runners-up
2005/06: Reached the quarter-finals
2004/05: Reached the semi-finals
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2002/03: Reached the quarter-finals
2001/02: Champions
2000/01: Champions
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1997/98: Reached the quarter-finals
1996/97: Runners-up
Munster –
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2013/14: Reached the semi-finals
2012/13: Reached the semi-finals
2011/12: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2009/10: Reached the semi-finals
2008/09: Reached the semi-finals
2007/08: Champions
2006/07: Reached the quarter-finals
2005/06: Champions
2004/05: Reached the quarter-finals
2003/04: Reached the semi-finals
2002/03: Reached the semi-finals
2001/02: Runners-up
2000/01: Reached the semi-finals
1999/00: Runners-up
1998/99: Reached the quarter-finals
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool D
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool D
1995/96: Failed to qualify from Pool D
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