Munster will be fiercely determined to put in an improved performance on their return to Thomond Park, having lost their last three encounters with Welsh opponents and struggled to beat Benetton Treviso last Sunday.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, March 5
MUNSTER (6th) v NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS (10th), Thomond Park, 7.35pm (live TG4)
Team News: Munster head coach Anthony Foley has made three changes to the team for Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 encounter with the Newport Gwent Dragons in Limerick.
Following his Six Nations involvement against England in Twickenham last weekend, Simon Zebo has been made available to the province and will make his first appearance in red since January.
Stephen Archer also makes a welcome return to the matchday squad after successfully overcoming a neck injury that has kept him sidelined since October. Should he make an appearance from the bench, the tighthead prop will win his 100th Munster cap.
The first of two changes to the pack sees hooker Niall Scannell join Dave Kilcoyne and John Ryan in the front row. Mark Chisholm and captain Billy Holland continue in the second row, while in the back row, Tommy O’Donnell returns at openside flanker with Dave O’Callaghan and Jack O’Donoghue switching to blindside and number 8 respectively.
Zebo starts on the left wing in an otherwise unchanged back-line. Duncan Williams and Ian Keatley form the half-back partnership and Rory Scannell makes his tenth consecutive start at inside centre in partnering Francis Saili in the midfield. Winger Darren Sweetnam and full-back Andrew Conway complete the starting line-up.
If called upon from the bench, recent long-term injury returnee Johnny Holland, who has impressed for Cork Constitution of late, will make his first appearance of the season.
In other news, this week saw Mario Sagario called up to the Uruguayan international squad for the Americas Rugby Championship. The Munster tighthead will start against the USA in Montevideo on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones has made three changes to the team that narrowly 18-15 to Glasgow Warriors last week.
Wales international Hallam Amos returns to regional action, with the 21-year-old joining fellow winger Ashton Hewitt and full-back Carl Meyer in the back-three.
The centre partnership sees Adam Hughes and Adam Warren is retained, while top scorer Jason Tovey returns from injury to start alongside Charlie Davies at half-back.
The front row remains unchanged with props Phil Price and Brok Harris starting either side of hooker Thomas Rhys Thomas. The young second row of Cory Hill and Matthew Screech also get the nod from the coaches after impressing last time out.
The back row is made up of flankers Nick Crosswell and Nic Cudd and number 8 Lewis Evans, and Elliot Dee, Shaun Knight, Ed Jackson, Sarel Pretorius and Angus O’Brien have been added to the matchday 23 as replacements.
MUNSTER: Andrew Conway; Darren Sweetnam, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Mark Chisholm, Billy Holland (capt), Dave O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, Jack O’Donoghue.
Replacements: Mike Sherry, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, Dave Foley, Robin Copeland, Cathal Sheridan, Johnny Holland, David Johnston.
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: Carl Meyer; Ashton Hewitt, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Hallam Amos; Jason Tovey, Charlie Davies; Phil Price, Thomas Rhys Thomas (capt), Brok Harris, Cory Hill, Matthew Screech, Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Lewis Evans.
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Shaun Knight, Lloyd Fairbrother, Rynard Landman, Ed Jackson, Sarel Pretorius, Angus O’Brien, Ross Wardle.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Stuart Gaffikin, Jonathan Peak (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Munster to win: 1/4; Draw: 17/1; Newport Gwent Dragons to win: 16/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Anthony Foley (Munster) – “We want home advantage and that’s a loud stadium, a real passionate stadium. We had it for the Stade Francais home game, I know it was down to 14,000 in the stadium but the crowd got in behind the boys and the boys responded and gave a great display.
“There’s a lot of young inexperienced lads there but they’re loving the chance to get to play for Munster and they want to have that feeling when playing in Thomond Park. There’s no shortage of talent or want in our side when we play at home but we just need those little things that come with home advantage.
“Simon Zebo, Tommy O’Donnell and Dave Foley are back to us this week so you just have to find a spots for them. Looking at the back-three for example, in fairness to young Darren Sweetnam, Andrew Conway and Gerhard (van den Heever) last week, and Ronan O’Mahony in the few weeks before that, they’re putting their hands up and doing a lot of very good things.
“It probably shows the way we’re playing that we’re talking about our wingers an awful lot in terms of their ability to get on the ball and their ability to beat people – it’s quite exciting at the moment.”
Charlie Davies (Newport Gwent Dragons) – “We were written off before the (recent) game against Ulster because they were at the top of the table with a few of their stars playing. It was a game that we should have won because we were fearless and played some great rugby with one of the best tries I have been involved in.
“We went out there fearless, full of confidence and when we do that we know that we can push teams and win games. That’s what we’ve got to do again – play without fear, take it to Munster and play on our terms.
“We know that we can challenge teams at the top of the table and we have lost by less than a score in our last six defeats, so we are not a million miles away.
“We’ve got pace in our back line with Ashton Hewitt, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Hallam Amos and when we go out and play rugby we can carve teams up. It’s just about going out there with confidence and exploiting the spaces that are out there.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 112; Tries: CJ Stander, Andrew Conway, Robin Copeland, Mike Sherry 3 each; Newport Gwent Dragons – Points: Jason Tovey 87; Tries: Ashton Hewitt 4
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, April 19, 2013 – Newport Gwent Dragons 30 Munster 24, Rodney Parade
Saturday, September 28, 2013 – Munster 23 Newport Gwent Dragons 9, Musgrave Park
Friday, November 29, 2013 – Newport Gwent Dragons 14 Munster 18, Rodney Parade
Friday, November 21, 2014 – Newport Gwent Dragons 12 Munster 38, Rodney Parade
Saturday, May 16, 2015 – Munster 50 Newport Gwent Dragons 27, Irish Independent Park
Sunday, December 6, 2015 – Newport Gwent Dragons 22 Munster 6, Rodney Parade
MATCH FACTS:
– Munster’s only victory in their last five home games in all competitions was 26-13 against Stade Francais in the European Champions Cup on January 16
– The Munstermen have lost their last three matches against Welsh regions since they overturned Cardiff Blues in Cork in round 4
– The Newport Gwent Dragons have lost their last four fixtures since beating Leinster 23-13 at Rodney Parade in round 13
– The Dragons have lost all eight away games they have played in the GUINNESS PRO12 this season, while their only away victory over an Irish province since September 2008 was against Leinster at the RDS in February 2015
– The Dragons beat Munster 22-6 at Rodney Parade in round 9 and have only once before achieved a season’s double over the Munstermen (in 2003/04 when they obtained their one and only victory at Thomond Park)
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