Munster are chasing their first season’s double over Glasgow Warriors since the 2011/12 campaign as they visit Kilmarnock’s Rugby Park for the first time in the GUINNESS PRO12.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, February 19
GLASGOW WARRIORS (8th) v MUNSTER (6th), Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, 7.35pm (live Sky Sports 5 HD)
Team News: Munster head coach Anthony Foley has made five changes to the team for tonight’s GUINNESS PRO12 encounter with Glasgow Warriors at Rugby Park in Kilmarnock.
Following their involvement in the opening two rounds of the RBS 6 Nations, Donnacha Ryan, Tommy O’Donnell and James Cronin are available to the province for this round 15 game.
O’Donnell and Ryan make up two of three changes to the pack, while prop Cronin is named among the replacements. The only other alteration up front comes at hooker with Niall Scannell packing down between Dave Kilcoyne and John Ryan.
Captain Billy Holland switches positions to start alongside Ryan in the second row for the first time this season, while in the back row, O’Donnell starts at openside flanker with Jack O’Donoghue moving to the blindside and Robin Copeland remaining at number 8.
The first of two changes across the back-line comes at half-back where Tomas O’Leary resumes his partnership with Ian Keatley.
David Johnston also comes in to form an all-Academy centre pairing with Rory Scannell, and Ronan O’Mahony, Darren Sweetnam and Andrew Conway make up the back-three once again.
Should he feature off the bench, Academy back rower Conor Oliver will make his first competitive appearance for Munster, while Johnny Holland has recovered from a long-term hamstring injury for his first inclusion in a PRO12 squad since November 2014.
Meanwhile, Scotland internationals Sean Lamont, Gordon Reid, Tim Swinson and Duncan Weir return from Six Nations duty and are named in the Glasgow Warriors starting line-up, while Zander Fagerson is included on the bench.
The game has been moved to Rugby Park due to the Scotstoun Stadium pitch being waterlogged, with the home of Kilmarnock Football Club becoming the 39th venue to host a PRO12 fixture.
Peter Murchie retains his place at full-back, following the narrow 13-10 defeat to Ulster last Friday, while Taqele Naiyaravoro comes in for Lee Jones and Lamont replaces Rory Hughes, who has been named among the replacements.
Peter Horne starts at inside centre and will partner Glenn Bryce in midfield. Weir returns at out-half and after signing a new two-year deal this week, Ali Price once again starts at scrum half.
In the pack Ayrshire-born Reid returns at loosehead prop and James Malcolm makes his first start in the PRO12 and eighth appearance at hooker. Sila Puafisi is named at tighthead after agreeing a new deal with the club this week through to May 2017.
The returning Swinson partners Leone Nakarawa in the engine room, Rob Harley and Chris Fusaro continue at blindside and openside flanker respectively, while Josh Strauss starts at number 8 and captains the side, following two appearances as a replacement in the last two games against Ulster and the Ospreys.
BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 3 hooker Cammy Fenton could make his first appearance for the Warriors from the bench.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: Peter Murchie; Taqele Naiyaravoro, Glenn Bryce, Peter Horne, Sean Lamont; Duncan Weir, Ali Price; Gordon Reid, James Malcolm, Sila Puafisi, Tim Swinson, Leone Nakarawa, Rob Harley, Chris Fusaro, Josh Strauss (capt).
Replacements: Cammy Fenton, Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Zander Fagerson, Greg Peterson, Simone Favaro, Grayson Hart, Fraser Lyle, Rory Hughes.
MUNSTER: Andrew Conway; Darren Sweetnam, David Johnston, Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Ian Keatley, Tomas O’Leary; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland (capt), Jack O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Mike Sherry, James Cronin, Mario Sagario, Dave Foley, Conor Oliver, Duncan Williams, Johnny Holland, Cian Bohane.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Sam Grove-White, Mike Adamson (both Scotland)
Television Match Official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Glasgow Warriors to win: 1/3; Draw: 18/1; Munster to win: 13/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Darren Sweetnam (Munster) – “For the try (against the Ospreys last week), Duncan (Williams) picked and went and ran a great line that drew in two men before popping it to me. I saw two defenders coming up on me and I heard Robin (Copeland) shouting, ‘I’m on your right’, and then I trusted my instinct and popped it up to him.
“There are times where, depending on how you are tackled, you mightn’t be able to see the runner but you have to trust in his call and offload knowing he will be there to take it. Thankfully it popped straight into his hands.
“The big thing about Munster is work rate and when I saw Tom Grabham making the break I knew I had to sprint as fast as I could and luckily I got there and made the (try-saving) tackle – nothing worse than getting there and missing the tackle. It was good for my own confidence in the game but sadly not enough to get us victory which was the main thing.
“My father, mother, brother and sister all travelled up for the game so it was nice for them and me that things went okay from a personal perspective, but when you are in a tight-knit group like Munster the team result is the main thing as it was a very, very disappointed dressing room afterwards.
“I just want to keep the head down and train to the best of my ability. We have a lot of quality in the back-three at the moment and we drive each other on. If I make the matchday squad that’s a massive bonus and then it’s a case of backing it up on the pitch.”
Gregor Townsend (Glasgow Warriors) – “It’s our first home game for a few weeks, against one of our contenders for a play-off spot so it’s an important match for us. Munster are one of the top teams in the league, so we’re well aware of the challenge we face at Rugby Park.
“It’s great to include Cammy Fenton in a matchday squad for the first time, while we’ve been boosted by the return of some of our Scotland players.
“The whole occasion at Rugby Park last time was great and we’re looking forward to playing there again on Friday night.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Glasgow Warriors – Points: Rory Clegg 48; Tries: Taqele Naiyaravoro 4; Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 97; Tries: CJ Stander, Andrew Conway, Robin Copeland 3 each
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, April 12, 2014 – Munster 5 Glasgow Warriors 22, Thomond Park
Friday, May 16, 2014 – Semi-final – Glasgow Warriors 16 Munster 15, Scotstoun Stadium
Saturday, December 20, 2014 – Glasgow Warriors 21 Munster 18, Scotstoun Stadium
Saturday, February 28, 2015 – Munster 22 Glasgow Warriors 10, Irish Independent Park
Saturday, May 30, 2015 – Final – Munster 13 Glasgow Warriors 31, Kingspan Stadium
Friday, October 2, 2015 – Munster 23 Glasgow Warriors 21, Thomond Park
MATCH FACTS:
– Rugby Park in Kilmarnock becomes the 39th different venue to host a PRO12 fixture
– Glasgow Warriors’ only victory in their last seven matches in all competitions came on their only previous visit to Kilmarnock, beating Racing 92 there in the Champions Cup on January 23
– The Warriors have won their last nine home games against Irish provinces since Munster beat them at Scotstoun Stadium in October 2013
– Munster have won just two of their last six PRO12 encounters, both away from home, at Ulster in round 11 and at Zebre in round 13
– The Munstermen’s solitary defeat to a Scottish side since December 2014 came in last season’s final to Glasgow in Belfast
– Munster defeated Glasgow 23-21 in Limerick in round 3 and have not achieved a season’s double over the Warriors since 2011/12
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