Two of the GUINNESS PRO12’s top four teams collide in Cork tonight as Munster look to back up last week’s gritty victory over Ulster by clipping the Ospreys’ wings.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, November 4
MUNSTER (4th) v OSPREYS (2nd), Irish Independent Park, 7.35pm (live TG4/BBC 2 Wales)
Team News: Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has made four changes for tonight’s GUINNESS PRO12 encounter with the high-flying Ospreys at Irish Independent Park.
Stephen Archer comes in to join Dave Kilcoyne and Niall Scannell in the front row, while Darren O’Shea and Robin Copeland form a new partnership in the second row. The back row is unchanged with captain Peter O’Mahony, Tommy O’Donnell and Jack O’Donoghue all retained.
The final change is seen in the half-backs where Tyler Bleyendaal, Munster’s man-of-the-match in their memorable Champions Cup win over Glasgow Warriors, returns to partner Duncan Williams.
Rory Scannell and Jaco Taute, who both touched down against Ulster last week, continue together in midfield with a back-three of Ronan O’Mahony, Darren Sweetnam and Andrew Conway completing the starting line-up.
Linking up with the Munster squad this week, new signing Rhys Marshall (pictured below) is named in his first matchday squad. The hooker joins from Super Rugby side the Chiefs after penning a three-year deal that will see him stay with the province until June 2019.
Should they appear from the bench, development prop Peter McCabe and Young Munster scrum half Abrie Griesel will make their first PRO12 appearances.
Tickets can be purchased from www.munsterrugby.ie and from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices in Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, or at the ground on matchday. Prices are adult €;20, junior €;7, student €;7 and family €;40.
Meanwhile, Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy has made two enforced changes to the side that swept past the Newport Gwent Dragons on a 35-17 scoreline.
Scott Baldwin and Dan Lydiate are two of the 12 Ospreys players on Wales duty this week, so Sam Parry and Rob McCusker, who is making his first start for the region, slot in at hooker and blindside flanker respectively.
Moldovan tighthead prop Dmitri Arhip has been cleared to play after a disciplinary panel dismissed a citing complaint from the last round, ruling that his ‘act of foul play (against the Dragons) did not warrant a red card’.
18-year-old winger Keelan Giles, who has been training with the Wales senior squad this week, also starts. He will be looking to his two tries from the bonus point victory over the Dragons.
MUNSTER: Andrew Conway; Darren Sweetnam, Jaco Taute, Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Duncan Williams; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Darren O’Shea, Robin Copeland, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Tommy O’Donnell, Jack O’Donoghue.
Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Peter McCabe, Brian Scott, John Madigan, Conor Oliver, Abrie Griesel, Ian Keatley, Alex Wootton.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Ben John, Ashley Beck, Eli Walker; Josh Matavesi, Tom Habberfield (capt); Paul James, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Lloyd Ashley, Adam Beard, Rob McCusker, Olly Cracknell, Joe Bearman.
Replacements: Hugh Gustafson, Gareth Thomas, Ma’afu Fia, Rhodri Jones, Scott Otten, Brendon Leonard, Jonathan Spratt, Dafydd Howells.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Matteo Liperini (Italy), Oisin Quinn (Ireland)
Television Match Official: Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Munster to win: 4/11; Draw: 22/1; Ospreys to win: 11/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Rassie Erasmus (Munster) – “The way the guys stuck to their guns (against Ulster) and kept on trying things, which was totally opposite to the last five, 10 minutes of the Cardiff game, was great.
“What was so frustrating against Cardiff (in Munster’s most recent game in Cork) was that were almost hoping for something to happen. Against Ulster, I felt the guys pushed and pushed until something did happen.
“The Ospreys have scored something like 15 tries more than other teams in the competition. That says a lot about the way they like to play so it’s going to be a challenge.
“It will be about implementing our systems and accepting that sometimes they are going to catch you and score tries and it’s how you handle that and get back into the game (that counts). Defensively we are going to be really tested.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “Going away to Munster is always one of the most difficult challenges in the PRO12. Going there minus 12 boys with Wales makes it even tougher. In fairness to this group of players, they haven’t shirked anything, they’ve risen to all the challenges presented to them this season, and they are going to have to go again on Friday night.
“We’ve made a good start to the season but international windows go a long way to shaping how the season pans out. The bonus point win last weekend against the Dragons gives us some momentum for the two away games coming up in the PRO12, against Munster and Glagow, but we realise that we can lose that momentum quickly if we aren’t on the ball.
“You look at any year where we’ve done well in this competition and you’ll see that we’ve picked up points in these periods. That’s the challenge that we face and, whatever players are pulling on the shirt, they know what standards are expected of them, regardless of any outside factors.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Munster – Points: Tyler Bleyendaal 40; Tries: Conor Murray 3; Ospreys – Points: Sam Davies 51; Tries: Ben John 5
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Munster – Played 7, Won 5, Lost 2, 23 Points; W 23-13 v Scarlets (away), L 24-23 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 20-16 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), W 28-14 v Edinburgh (home), W 49-5 v Zebre (home), Played , L 25-14 v Leinster (away), W 15-14 v Ulster (away); Ospreys – Played 7, Won 5, Lost 2, 26 Points; W 59-5 v Zebre (home), W 32-11 v Connacht (away), W 64-10 v Benetton Treviso (home), L 31-19 v Leinster (away), L 9-7 v Ulster (away), W 46-24 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 35-17 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Sunday, February 23, 2014 – Ospreys 11 Munster 25, Liberty Stadium
Saturday, September 27, 2014 – Munster 14 Ospreys 19, Thomond Park
Saturday, March 7, 2015 – Ospreys 26 Munster 12, Liberty Stadium
Saturday, May 23, 2015 – Semi-Final – Munster 21 Ospreys 18, Thomond Park
Sunday, September 13, 2015 – Ospreys 18 Munster 20, Liberty Stadium
Sunday, February 14, 2016 – Munster 17 Ospreys 21, Irish Independent Park
MATCH FACTS:
– Munster’s only defeat in their last six fixtures in all competitions was 25-14 to Leinster at the Aviva Stadium in the GUINNESS PRO12 on October 8
– The Munstermen have lost just twice at home since mid-January with both encounters being in Cork, to the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues
– The Ospreys have won their last four matches in all competitions since their 9-7 reversal in Ulster in round 5 of the PRO12
– The Welshmen have won just two of their last dozen encounters with Irish provinces since May 2015
– The last six meetings between the two sides have been evenly split with three wins apiece, while the Ospreys have lost on just two of their last six visits to Munster
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