Two of the GUINNESS PRO12’s leading lights meet at the Liberty Stadium this evening as Munster look to overcome the Ospreys and take back top spot from arch rivals Leinster.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, February 18
OSPREYS (3rd) v MUNSTER (2nd), Liberty Stadium, 5.15pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD)
Team News: Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has named his team for today’s eagerly-awaited GUINNESS PRO12 encounter with the Ospreys in Swansea.
In making five changes to the side that defeated the Newport Gwent Dragons, returning Ireland internationals Ian Keatley, Billy Holland and John Ryan have all been made available for the top of the table clash and are included in the starting line-up.
Ryan comes in to join Dave Kilcoyne and Rhys Marshall in the front row, while Holland and Darren O’Shea form a new look second row in completing the front five. Holland will make his 150th appearance for the province on Saturday.
It is as you were in the back row with Dave O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell and Jack O’Donoghue retaining their starting berths, and Duncan Williams and captain Tyler Bleyendaal will again line up in the half-backs.
Keatley will starts at full-back, joining Darren Sweetnam and Ronan O’Mahony in the back-three, and the final change sees Francis Saili pairing up with Rory Scannell in midfield.
On the injury front, there was mixed news for Jean Kleyn and Jaco Taute this week. Following further consultation with a specialist, Kleyn has been ruled out for approximately eight to ten weeks after the South African lock sustained a neck injury during last Friday’s bonus point win over the Dragons.
Versatile back Taute, who scored two tries in that round 14 fixture, continues to rehab a shoulder injury sustained in the same game, requiring further rest and recovery over the next week or so.
Meanwhile, Ospreys boss Steve Tandy has made eight personnel changes to the team that erased an early deficit to run out 40-10 bonus point winners away to Zebre in the last round.
Keelan Giles, who is back from a hamstring injury, and Hanno Dirksen return on the wings with Sam Davies – the Ospreys’ top points scorer in the PRO12 this season with 71 points – reunited with captain Tom Habberfield at half-back.
Nicky Smith and Scott Baldwin, who rejoin Rhodri Jones in the front row, are two of the seven Wales squad members in the Ospreys’ starting line-up. The final switches see Rory Thornton come into the second row and Olly Cracknell and James King link up with openside Sam Underhill in the back row.
The Welsh region have ten players unavailable for selection due to international duty with the Wales senior, Under-20 and Sevens squads, while another 14 are out injured (including Dmitri Arhip (shoulder), Bradley Davies (knee), Jeff Hassler (Achilles), Josh Matavesi (shoulder), Rob McCusker (ankle) and Eli Walker (back)).
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Kieron Fonotia, Ashley Beck, Hanno Dirksen; Sam Davies, Tom Habberfield (capt); Nicky Smith, Scott Baldwin, Rhodri Jones, Lloyd Ashley, Rory Thornton, Olly Cracknell, Sam Underhill, James King.
Replacements: Sam Parry, Paul James, Daniel Suter, Tyler Ardron, Dan Baker, Brendon Leonard, Luke Price, Ben John.
MUNSTER: Ian Keatley; Ronan O’Mahony, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Darren Sweetnam; Tyler Bleyendaal (capt), Duncan Williams; Dave Kilcoyne, Rhys Marshall, John Ryan, Darren O’Shea, Billy Holland, Dave O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, Jack O’Donoghue.
Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Peter McCabe, Stephen Archer, Dave Foley, Conor Oliver, Abrie Griesel, Dan Goggin, Andrew Conway.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Claudio Blessano (Italy), Stuart Kibble (Wales)
Television Match Official: Stefano Penne (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ospreys to win: 5/6; Draw: 20/1; Munster to win: Evens
Pre-Match Quotes: Dave O’Callaghan (Munster) – “It’s been a long time since I’ve played but it’s been good to be back for two games (after my shoulder injury). I’ve two 80 minutes under my belt and hopefully a few more to come.
“The Ospreys are obviously having a great season and there is only a point in it between us. Having gone there last season we know it’s so hard to win over there. (Our 20-18 victory back then) came down to the wire and we are expecting more of the same again.
“We will have to start well, they are an expansive side, they like to throw the ball around so in defence we have to be very tight and make good reads in giving them nothing because they are a side that will punish you with any given opportunity.
“It’s a massive couple of weeks with a lot of guys away (with Ireland), and it doesn’t get bigger than this week for a few of us who haven’t played much up to now. Guys are getting opportunities and they’re putting their hand up for selection. Hopefully we can kick on now with this group because a lot of guys are bursting for a game and for an opportunity and it’s evident by the energy they are bringing to training.
“In Munster, the back five is always where the competition is, the standard is so high there. You look at CJ (Stander) and Peter (O’Mahony) still to come back, Tommy (O’Donnell) in there, Jack (O’Donoghue) picking up the man-of-the-match last time out – these guys are all setting the standards and it’s up to the rest of us now to reach those heights.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “We know how difficult it’s going to be on Saturday. Munster have been on an incredible run and put themselves in the driving seat in the PRO12, while they delivered some really impressive performances and results in the Champions Cup against top teams. They’ll come here full of confidence in their ability to win this game.
“It’s going to be physical, it’ll be edgy, and a tense 80 minutes, but we know what we’ve got to do. Last weekend a young group stood up to the challenge in Italy and answered questions about their character and attitude when they went behind.
“This week it’s an entirely different kind of challenge. We’ve got some boys coming back in, from injury and from the Wales squad, we’ve got to get them back into our way of working, then we have to front up for 80 minutes against a very good team.
“This is the kind of game that you get excited about, top of the table, on a Saturday afternoon, and with the way the two teams are playing you’d expect that to be reflected in the stadium with a passionate crowd getting behind the team.
“What’s gone on before is irrelevant, out in Cork in November or the winning run both teams have been on. It’s all about what happens at quarter past five on Saturday.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Ospreys – Points: Sam Davies 71; Tries: Dan Evans, Dafydd Howells, Ben John, Sam Parry 4 each; Munster – Points: Tyler Bleyendaal 86; Tries: Ronan O’Mahony 7
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Ospreys – Played 14, Won 11, Lost 3, 54 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), L 33-0 v Munster (away), W 22-5 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 31-22 v Edinburgh (home), W 19-9 v Scarlets (home), W 10-0 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), W 29-7 v Connacht (home), W 40-10 v Zebre (away); Munster – Played 14, Won 12, Lost 2, 55 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), W 33-0 v Ospreys (home), W 46-3 v Benetton Treviso (home), W 16-15 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 29-17 v Leinster (home), W 16-9 v Connacht (away), W 10-9 v Edinburgh (away), W 45-17 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
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
Friday, November 4, 2016 – Munster 33 Ospreys 0, Irish Independent Park
MATCH FACTS:
– The Ospreys are the best team in the GUINNESS PRO12 on current form having tallied 28 of a possible 30 league points from the last six rounds
– The Ospreys have won all ten encounters played at Liberty Stadium this season and have only missed out on maximum points when the Scarlets visited the venue on December 27
– Munster have won their last eight matches in the PRO12 since Leinster beat them at the Aviva Stadium on October 8
– The Munstermen’s only defeat to a Welsh region this season was by a single point to Cardiff Blues in Cork in round 2 of the PRO12
– Munster’s only defeat in their last four encounters with the Ospreys was 21-17 in Cork last February. The province have won on two of their last three visits to Liberty Stadium
This website uses cookies.
Read More