GUINNESS PRO12 leaders Munster meet Leicester Tigers in the Champions Cup pool stages for the second successive year, with the province determined to banish memories of last December’s home and away defeats.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 1: Saturday, December 10
MUNSTER (1st) v LEICESTER TIGERS (3rd), Thomond Park, 3.15pm (live BT Sport 2/beIN Sports/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has made six changes to the team for Saturday afternoon’s return to European Champions Cup action against Leicester Tigers at Thomond Park.
As part of two changes to the pack, Donnacha Ryan and CJ Stander come into the second row and back row respectively, while four changes to the back-line see Conor Murray and Tyler Bleyendaal resume at half-back with Keith Earls and Simon Zebo taking their places in the back-three.
In making these changes, the Munster management have faith with the same fifteen players who started the inspiring 38-17 Champions Cup triumph over Glasgow Warriors back in October.
Should they feature from the bench this weekend, Rhys Marshall, Thomas du Toit and Jean Kleyn – all new arrivals this season – will make their European debuts for the province.
Over 24,000 tickets have now been sold for the game. Tickets can be bought online here, at the ground on matchday, or from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Thomond Park and Irish Independent Park until 5pm today – tel: 061 421103.
Meanwhile, England internationals Manu Tuilagi and Ben Youngs return to the Leicester Tigers side for this round 3 trip to Limerick.
Tuilagi is back in the starting line-up for the Pool 1 clash after his recovery from a groin injury, while scrum half Youngs makes his first club appearance since being named England’s man of the series in the autumn international period.
Fellow England international Dan Cole, though, is ruled out after suffering a leg injury in the victory over Australia last weekend. Owen Williams joins Tuilagi in the centres, with Peter Betham moving to the left wing.
Club captain Tom Youngs returns to the front row after missing the 19-11 derby day win over Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership last Saturday.
MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Jaco Taute, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Tyler Bleyendaal, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Thomas du Toit, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Andrew Conway.
LEICESTER TIGERS: George Worth; Adam Thompstone, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Williams, Peter Betham; Freddie Burns, Ben Youngs; Logovi’i Mulipola, Tom Youngs (capt), Greg Bateman, Ed Slater, Graham Kitchener, Mike Fitzgerald, Brendon O’Connor, Lachlan McCaffrey.
Replacements: George McGuigan, Ellis Genge, Pat Cilliers, Luke Hamilton, Will Evans, Sam Harrison, Jack Roberts, Tom Brady.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant Referees: Tual Trainini, Stephane Boyer (both France)
Television Match Official: Arnaud Blondel (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Munster to win: 1/3; Draw: 22/1; Leicester Tigers to win: 5/2
Pre-Match Quotes: Tommy O’Donnell (Munster) – “Like all teams, you naturally have to look at the next game and step it up from the last. We have players coming back from a tough international window. Leicester have players coming back who only played last weekend for England at an international intensity, so we are going to have to raise our game from that perspective to take on players who are used to international intensity and who are used to that type of game.
“We have some tough games to come and we have to naturally get better, because if you stand on your laurels you will get passed out.
“I think we are being a little bit more clinical in certain areas. “Last year, it was just ball control. It wasn’t down to coaching, it wasn’t down to a player specifically going out and playing badly. At times, when we needed to hold on to the ball, we lost it.
“This year we are being more clinical. We are getting scores at the right time. Defence is very strong this year too. It is somewhere we can lean on. We are definitely going to have to lean on it on Saturday.
“Leicester are similar to ourselves. They have a good defence. They have a strong kicking game. They have a good back row too. They are well able to scavenge on the ground, so obviously the breakdown will be massive for us this weekend.
“They are a good team and they cannot be taken lightly. They are fourth in the Premiership now, having won their last four games, so they are a team on the uptick as well. It will be an interesting game.”
Richard Cockerill (Leicester Tigers) – “There is still a lot of emotion around Munster Rugby at the moment because of the tragic passing of Anthony Foley and that has galvanised them and re-ignited the old Munster. We expect a huge battle between two great sides who will really be going at it.
“Their performance against Glasgow Warriors was right out of the top draw. Given the circumstances, I would have put any amount of money on them to win that game. Whichever team you were, you would not have wanted to go there on that day. They have got a good side and they seem to have found some energy and form.
“These two games are critical and we know that we will probably have to get an away win to get out of this group. It’s going to be tough. We lost heavily in Glasgow, we got a good win at home against Racing 92, but we know we are probably going to have to get points out of our trips to Limerick and Paris. Thomond Park is a special place, just as we feel Welford Road is, but we have a very good record there.
“We were the first side to win there and the only team who have won twice at Thomond Park. Both teams have huge heritage in Europe. The special thing about the Champions Cup is that even in the pool stages you get some big games and this is going to be a huge, stand-alone occasion.”
Current Form – Munster – (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 23-13 v Scarlets (away), Lost 24-23 v Cardiff Blues (home), Won 20-16 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), Won 28-14 v Edinburgh (home), Won 49-5 v Zebre (home), Lost 35-14 v Leinster (away); (Champions Cup): Won 38-17 v Glasgow Warriors (home); (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 15-14 v Ulster (away), Won 33-0 v Ospreys (home), Won 46-3 v Benetton Treviso (home), Won 16-15 v Glasgow Warriors (away)
Leicester Tigers – (Aviva Premiership): Won 38-31 v Gloucester (away), Lost 34-22 v Wasps (home), Won 14-13 v Newcastle Falcons (away), Won 34-14 v Bath (home), Lost 34-30 v Sale Sharks (away), Won 34-13 v Worcester Warriors (home); (Champions Cup): Lost 42-13 v Glasgow Warriors (away), Won 27-17 v Racing 92 (home); (Aviva Premiership): Lost 24-10 v Saracens (away); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Won 21-20 v Bath (away), Won 42-3 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home); (Aviva Premiership): Won 25-6 v Harlequins (home), Won 21-16 v Bristol (away), Won 19-11 v Northampton Saints (home)
Top Scorers – 2016/17 European Champions Cup: Munster – Points: Tyler Bleyendaal 16; Tries: Tyler Bleyendaal, Jaco Taute, Simon Zebo, Rory Scannell 1 each; Leicester Tigers – Points: Freddie Burns 16; Tries: Adam Thompstone, Brendon O’Connor, Freddie Burns 1 each
Previous European Meetings: 6
Sunday, December 20, 2015 – Pool 4 – Leicester Tigers 17 Munster 6, Welford Road
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
European Cup Records:
Munster –
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
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
Leicester Tigers –
2015/16: Reached the semi-finals
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
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