Munster did the double over Racing 92 last season and host the French side for the second time in the space of nine months on what is sure to an emotionally-charged afternoon. Munster will wear the Irish Heart Foundation’s logo on their jerseys and there will be a minute’s applause in memory of Anthony Foley before kick-off.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 4: Saturday, October 21
MUNSTER (3rd) v RACING 92 (1st), Thomond Park, 5.30pm (live Sky Sports Arena/beIN Sports/RTÉ Radio 1/highlights TG4)
Team News: Munster play their first home game of the 2017/18 Champions Cup against Racing 92 at Thomond Park on Saturday, with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus making three changes to that team that drew with Castres.
The first of the changes is in the the front row where Kiwi hooker Rhys Marshall comes in for Niall Scannell, who misses out with a thumb injury. Jean Kleyn returns from the neck injury he sustained in GUINNESS PRO14 action against Glasgow Warriors to start in the second row.
While a neck complaint sees Tyler Bleyendaal miss out this weekend, Ian Keatley takes charge at out-half. Flanker Tommy O’Donnell will win his 150th Munster cap in Glasgow with the province playing their 160th tournament fixture – a Champions Cup record.
Replacement hooker Kevin O’Byrne will make his European debut if he features off the bench. O’Byrne was one of the try scorers in the Munster ‘A’ team’s victory over the Ospreys Premiership Select in the opening round of the British & Irish Cup.
Thanks to title sponsors, Bank of Ireland, who are proud partners of Munster Rugby and Irish Heart Foundation, Munster’s matchday jerseys tomorrow will carry the Irish Heart Foundation logo on the front as a mark of the province’s support in the fight against sudden cardiac death. This is following the recent announcement of lifesaving legacy in memory of Anthony Foley.
There will also be a minute’s applause in memory of Axel just before kick-off at Thomond Park. Tickets for the Munster v Racing 92 round 2 clash can be purchased online at munsterrugby.ie or at the ground tomorrow from 9am.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s former star out-half Dan Carter will make his Thomond Park debut after missing Racing 92’s round 6 defeat to the Munstermen last season.
The 35-year-old Carter, who has been nursing a troublesome calf injury, will pair up at half-back with Maxime Machenaud in Limerick, with the latter also taking over the captaincy from the benched Dimitri Szarzewski.
There are nine changes and three positional switches to the Racing side that defeated Leicester Tigers 22-18 in the opening round. Pat Lambie, Louis Dupichot and Anthony Tuitavake also come into the back-line, with South African Lambie set for his first Champions Cup start and the 22-year-old Dupichot’s inclusion seeing Joe Rokocoko swap wings.
There is an all-new front of Eddy Ben Arous, Camille Chat and Ben Tamiefuna – the same one that started against Munster at Thomond Park last January – and Bernard le Roux and Leone Nakarawa are both retained after scoring tries against Leicester.
Yannick Nyanga reverts to openside flanker with Antonie Claassen coming in at number 8, while Racing’s bench includes big Samoan props Villamu Afatia and Census Johnston, who weigh a combined 41 stone, and several other summer signings – Baptiste Chouzenoux (Bayonne), Edwin Maka (Toulouse) and Teddy Iribaren (Brive). Former Munster players Donnacha Ryan (neck) and Casey Laulala (knee) are both rehabbing injuries.
MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Liam O’Connor, John Ryan, Mark Flanagan, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Andrew Conway.
RACING 92: Pat Lambie; Joe Rokocoko, Henry Chavancy, Anthony Tuitavke, Louis Dupichot; Dan Carter, Maxime Machenaud (capt); Eddy Ben Arous, Camille Chat, Ben Tameifuna, Bernard le Roux, Leone Nakarawa, Wenceslas Lauret, Yannick Nyanga, Antonie Claassen.
Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski, Viliamu Afatia, Census Johnston, Baptiste Chouzenoux, Edwin Maka, Teddy Iribaren, Rémi Tales, Albert Vulivuli.
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce, Simon McConnell (both England)
Television Match Official: Rowan Kitt (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Munster to win: 3/10; Draw: 19/1; Racing 92 to win: 11/4
Pre-Match Quotes: Simon Zebo (Munster) – “Racing have a world class back line, pace all over it, poach threats, big hitters, good aerially, slick hands, the full arsenal. Our forwards will have a big job in slowing their momentum, in trying to win collisions in defence so they don’t get too much front-foot ball.
“With someone of Dan Carter’s ability and talent, he can change a game just like that. It has all the makings for a great game as we have a very exciting back-line ourselves.
“There’s a void there that needs to be filled. The main drive and ambition at Munster is to get this ‘golden nugget’, the European trophy that we’re trying so hard for. A lot of the guys in the stand that day (back in 2008) are in their prime now and leaders in this team and we’re the ones who have to take it home. A win this Saturday would go a long way.
“The penalty count is probably number one (in terms of areas to improve from the Castres game) and we need to be more ruthless or cold-blooded enough to get the win in the final stages. If Saracens or other teams were playing that game (last Sunday), they would have won it. We have time to rectify that and get our focus back on being the top European team that we can be.”
Rassie Erasmus (Munster) – “If we win, we are top of the table, if they win they are top of the table, so that’s how important it is. But if we play like that (Castres game) this week, we won’t get any points out of the game.
“You cannot argue with conceding 11 penalties (in the draw with Castres). Seven I would say, listen, the boys tried to save the team with a desperation tackle and maybe fell on the wrong side trying to stop a maul, so seven of them I think are forgivable, because it was out of trying to help the team. But four were just stupid penalties.
“Turnovers, they are used to that wind but it was tremendously tough for us. We totally underestimated it and we played the wrong tactics, so Castres managed it much better. Those stats speak for themselves.
“Without a doubt, we are in for a tough one (against Racing) and a repeat of Castres means we get no points from the game. We were naive at times, giving them opportunities where there is nothing on for us to try and we just pushed our luck a little bit there.
“So, we will have to have a massive step up, not just with Leone Nakarawa, Dan Carter will probably be in the mix, They have two big centres. Their lineout is unbelievable, they contest probably best in Top 14.
“(Incoming Munster head coach) Johann (van Graan) is here to observe this week. We’re making sure he meets all the players, to see how our coaching set-up works, how our weeks are planned and meet all the various other departments, just to observe how we do things.
“When his work permit is successful he’ll know everyone and not spend the first four or five days just finding his feet so we’re trying to let him do that. His wife and his children are over here. They’re looking for a place to stay.”
Current Form – Munster – (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 34-3 v Benetton Rugby (home), Won 51-18 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), Won 21-16 v Ospreys (away), Lost 37-10 v Glasgow Warriors (away), Won 39-16 v Cardiff Blues (home), Lost 23-17 v Leinster (away); (Champions Cup): Drew 17-17 v Castres Olympique (away)
Racing 92 – (Top 14 Championship): Won 25-21 v Castres Olympique (home), Lost 23-19 v Agen (away), Won 25-6 v Brive (away), Won 25-13 v Oyonnax (home), Lost 23-21 v Clermont Auvergne (away), Lost 20-17 v Lyon (home), Lost 16-9 v La Rochelle (away); (Champions Cup): Won 22-18 v Leicester Tigers (home)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Champions Cup: Munster – Points: Tyler Bleyendaal 7; Tries: Simon Zebo, Dave Kilcoyne 1 each; Racing 92 – Points: Leone Nakarawa, Bernard le Roux, Teddy Thomas 5 each; Tries: Leone Nakarawa, Bernard le Roux, Teddy Thomas 1 each
Previous European Meetings: 4
Saturday, January 21, 2017 – Pool 1 – Munster 22 Racing 92 10, Thomond Park
Saturday, January 7, 2017 – Pool 1 – Racing 92 7 Munster 32, Stade Yves-du-Manoir
Sunday, January 20, 2013 – Pool 1 – Munster 29 Racing Metro 92 6, Thomond Park
Saturday, October 13, 2012 – Pool 1 – Racing Metro 92 22 Munster 17, Stade de France
Match Facts –
– Munster have won 28 of their last 30 home matches in the pool stages, with only Leicester Tigers and Clermont Auvergne coming away with victories from Thomond Park during that run
– Racing 92 have lost their last four away games, their worst run on the road in Europe
– Munster drew with Castres Olympique in round 1. The last time they drew a European fixture was in October 1998 against Neath
European Cup Records:
Munster –
2016/17: Reached the semi-finals
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
Racing 92 –
2016/17: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2015/16: Runners-up
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
This website uses cookies.
Read More