The first competitive match of Rassie Erasmus’ reign to be played at Thomond Park sees Munster entertain Edinburgh as they look to climb into the top four of the GUINNESS PRO12.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, September 24
MUNSTER (6th) v EDINBURGH (8th), Thomond Park, 3pm (live Sky Sports 3 HD)
Team News: Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has made five personnel changes for Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 round 4 encounter with Edinburgh at Thomond Park. Centre Cian Bohane is set to make his first competitive start for the province.
Bohane’s inclusion in the starting line-up sees the Corkman form a brand new centre partnership with returning Ireland international Keith Earls who has made a speedy recovery from the tight hamstring that saw him withdrawn before last weekend’s game in Newport.
Elsewhere, Dave Kilcoyne will make his first start of the season in the front row, while the return of Dave O’Callaghan at blindside flanker sees captain Billy Holland – the PRO12’s leading tackler so far this season – revert to the second row.
The final change comes in the back-three with Ian Keatley pencilled in to start at full-back. One of only three players to have scored in excess of 1000 points in the PRO12 (1266 points), Keatley needs just five points to reach 1000 points for Munster across all competitions.
Should he appear off the bench, recent Munster Academy graduate and Ireland Sevens international Alex Wootton will make his first competitive appearance for the province.
Successfully rehabbing a neck injury, prop Stephen Archer is included in the matchday squad for the first time this season.
Tickets will be available to purchase at the stadium on Saturday. Adult tickets from €;20 and Family tickets from €;40 (two adults & two juniors) can also be purchased online via Ticketmaster, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, or by calling 0818 719 300.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh head coach Alan Solomons has made seven personnel changes to his starting side to face Munster in Limerick.
Three changes come in the back-line, as try scorer against the Scarlets and Leinster, Michael Allen, moves from the right wing to the centre with Damien Hoyland, who returns from a groin injury to make his first appearance of the season, starting in the number 14 jersey.
Allen is joined in midfield by Chris Dean, who comes in for the injured Phil Burleigh (shoulder). Sam Hidalgo-Clyne is set to wear the number 9 jersey for the first time this season in place of the injured Nathan Fowles (leg).
The remaining four changes in the pack will see Kevin Bryce makes his first Edinburgh start at tighthead prop, while Stuart McInally is named at hooker and captain of the side. Fraser McKenzie comes in at lock in place of the rested Grant Gilchrist, and Cornell du Preez makes his first start of the season at number 8.
Glenn Bryce and Tom Brown retain their starting jerseys to join Hoyland in the back-three, while Dean and Allen are set to play outside of the half-back partnership of Duncan Weir and Hidalgo-Clyne.
Rory Sutherland packs down in the loosehead prop berth alongside McInally and Bryce, and McKenzie is in the engine room with Ben Toolis. Last week’s try scorers, Magnus Bradbury and Hamish Watson, start at blindside and openside flanker respectively, with du Preez at the tail of the scrum.
Neil Cochrane, Jack Cosgrove, Lewis Carmichael, who will make his Edinburgh debut if called upon from the bench, and John Hardie are all brought in as forward replacements – the latter having recovered from a head knock sustained against the Scarlets – and Sean Kennedy and former Ulster back Rory Scholes are also included as back replacements.
MUNSTER: Ian Keatley; Darren Sweetnam, Keith Earls, Cian Bohane, Ronan O’Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland (capt), Dave O’Callaghan, Jack O’Donoghue, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Duncan Casey, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, Donnacha Ryan, Conor Oliver, Duncan Williams, Dan Goggin, Alex Wootton.
EDINBURGH: Glenn Bryce; Damien Hoyland, Michael Allen, Chris Dean, Tom Brown; Duncan Weir, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; Rory Sutherland, Stuart McInally (capt), Kevin Bryce, Fraser McKenzie, Ben Toolis, Magnus Bradbury, Hamish Watson, Cornell du Preez.
Replacements: Neil Cochrane, Jack Cosgrove, Allan Dell, Lewis Carmichael, John Hardie, Sean Kennedy, Blair Kinghorn, Rory Scholes.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Gwyn Morris (Wales), Mark Patton (Ireland)
Television Match Official: Jon Mason (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Munster to win: 1/6; Draw: 25/1; Edinburgh to win: 4/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Rassie Erasmus (Munster) – “To win the two away games but then lose momentum by being beaten at home was not ideal. I always feel winning away gives great confidence, but on the flip side, losing at home takes confidence away.
“It really takes guts and hard work and accuracy to win that back, and it takes longer to win it back than lose it. But it shouldn’t be the thing that drives us. It’s our plan on the field that drives us.
“Our first home game (in Cork) was two weeks ago, but this is the first one at Thomond Park, so hopefully this one will go much better. It will definitely be an experience. I’ve seen a lot on TV, but never experienced it myself. Our job is to earn the right to have that experience, and we didn’t do it in our first home game. Obviously it was in a different venue, and we have to earn that, and the players know that.
“We’ve got a tough challenge and it will be certainly one to test us, to show the people that we earn the atmosphere and that support they give us. I’m really looking forward to it, it’s going to be a privilege.
“Edinburgh have got some great ways of playing the game, but first and foremost they don’t shy away from the physical side of the game. That’s a real hallmark of an Alan Solomons side and it will be one of our biggest challenges, to rise up physically for the occasion.”
Kevin Bryce (Edinburgh) – “I never got a lot of breaks at Glasgow, albeit I was injured quite a lot. I got my chance to make my debut (for Edinburgh against Leinster) last Friday night and I was quite happy with that.
“‘Solly’ (Alan Solomons) and Stevie (Scott) have big belief in me at tighthead and say I am going to do well, so I am buying into what they say and what we do as a team, and hopefully I will figure more.
“Munster are going to be tough opposition and have a strong scrum, but we need to focus on what we can do as a tight five and dominate them.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Munster – Points: Tyler Bleyendaal 20; Tries: James Cronin, Ronan O’Mahony, Andrew Conway, Dave Kilcoyne, Jean Kleyn, Cian Bohane 1 each; Edinburgh – Points: Duncan Weir 26; Tries: Michael Allen, Magnus Bradbury 2 each
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Munster – Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, 9 Points; W 23-13 v Scarlets (away), L 24-23 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 20-16 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away); Edinburgh – Played 3, Won 1, Lost 2, 4 Points; L 34-16 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 20-9 v Scarlets (home), L 33-20 v Leinster (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, September 7, 2013 – Munster 34 Edinburgh 23, Musgrave Park
Saturday, May 3, 2014 – Edinburgh 12 Munster 55, Meggetland
Friday, September 5, 2014 – Munster 13 Edinburgh 14, Thomond Park
Saturday, April 11, 2015 – Edinburgh 3 Munster 34, BT Murrayfield
Saturday, November 7, 2015 – Edinburgh 14 Munster 16, BT Murrayfield
Friday, April 29, 2016 – Munster 27 Edinburgh 19, Irish Independent Park
MATCH FACTS:
– Munster have lost only one of their last five GUINNESS PRO12 matches: 24-23 to Cardiff Blues in Cork in round 2
– The Munstermen have not been defeated at Thomond Park in 2016, the last visiting side to win there being Leinster on December 27 last year
– Edinburgh’s only victory in their last six PRO12 fixtures was 20-9 over the Scarlets at BT Murrayfield in round 2
– Edinburgh have not beaten an Irish province away since a trip to Connacht in January 2015
– Munster have lost just one of their last nine PRO12 clashes with Edinburgh: 14-13 at Thomond Park in September 2014 (the last time the two met at the venue)
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