Two of the most storied teams in the Championship meet for the third time in the GUINNESS PRO12 semi-finals at Thomond Park, with Munster looking to follow up on their 2011 and 2015 play-off wins over the Ospreys.
GUINNESS PRO12 SEMI-FINAL: Saturday, May 20
MUNSTER (1st) v OSPREYS (4th), Thomond Park, 6.15pm (live TG4/Sky Sports 1 HD/S4C/RTE Radio 1)
Team News: Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has made no less than 12 changes to the team that defeated Connacht for Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 semi-final against the Ospreys.
Returning to the starting XV, Donnacha Ryan and Francis Saili are set to line out in the red jersey at Thomond Park for the final time, while Billy Holland, Keith Earls and Andrew Conway are the only players retained from round 22.
Joining Holland and Ryan in the tight five are front rowers Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell and John Ryan. Flanker Peter O’Mahony returns as captain with Tommy O’Donnell and CJ Stander completing the pack.
Conor Murray and Tyler Bleyendaal resume their half-back partnership, the former making his first start since recently returning from a shoulder injury. Murray also draws ever closer to the century landmark for Munster and will make his 99th appearance this weekend.
Saili and Rory Scannell return to the midfield and the final change sees Simon Zebo rejoin the back-three at full-back, with Conway reverting to the right wing and Earls remaining on the opposite flank.
Having just signed new two-year deals with the province, both Ian Keatley and Jaco Taute are named among the replacements.
Munster v Ospreys semi-final tickets can be purchased online here, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices or by calling 061 421103.
Meanwhile, Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones is back to lead the Ospreys in Limerick. It will be his first appearance since suffering a shoulder injury against France in the final round of the Six Nations in March.
The key second row is one of two changes to the Ospreys side that went down 40-17 to the Scarlets in the last round of the Championship. Ashley Beck also returns in the centre, with Josh Matavesi and Tyler Ardron the players to make way.
Dan Biggar, who was doubtful due to an ankle injury, has been named at half-back alongside fellow 2017 Lion Rhys Webb. The Welsh region’s list of injured players currently includes Dan Baker (broken nose), Dan Lydiate (knee), Brian Mujati (shoulder), Hanno Dirksen (knee), Eli Walker (back) and Owen Watkin (knee).
MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Andrew Conway, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Tyler Bleyendaal, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Rhys Marshall, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, Jean Deysel, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Jaco Taute.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Kieron Fonotia, Ashley Beck, Tom Habberfield; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Nicky Smith, Scott Baldwin, Rhodri Jones, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Sam Underhill, Justin Tipuric, James King.
Replacements: Scott Otten, Paul James, Dan Suter, Lloyd Ashley, Olly Cracknell, Brendon Leonard, Sam Davies, Josh Matavesi.
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Matthew O’Grady, Wayne Falla (both England)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Munster to win: 1/8; Draw: 22/1; Ospreys to win: 11/2
Pre-Match Quotes: CJ Stander (Munster) – “There is a lot of excitement, a lot of competition and probably a lot of eyes on the (Lions) players. There is still a chance of getting into the team or not getting into the team, you need to perform. It helps you if you need a boost to perform.
“We are in a place now where everyone in the whole (Munster) squad will want the best for this team, so sure there are people who have disappointment (to miss out on Ireland or Lions selection), but if someone has disappointment they don’t show it in front of the players, or excitement.
“I think everyone wants the best for this place now and for the jersey. Probably a few years ago, a lot of people said it but didn’t do it, but now everyone is doing it and it makes it a special place. They just want the best for the team and for training.
“I remember giving an intercept pass from the base of a scrum to Rhys Webb (in the 2015 semi-final against the Ospreys). We had a move for a couple of weeks, that we thought would work. I called it and Rhys just ran in under the posts. I felt bad for about 10 minutes after that.
“I mean, you are playing in a semi-final and that was an easy seven points for them. I remember being very tired in that game. I remember walking and them scoring that try. It gave me a good kick up the hole really.
“I was walking and I should have been close enough to make a difference there. So that was the biggest thing from that game. I need to get myself prepared mentally and physically for the game this weekend so I can play for the full 80 and not leave it to a TMO call (late on) like that game.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “We’ve had a good two weeks to prepare for this but we know the size of the challenged we’re up against. Munster have been one of the standout teams in Europe this season and Thomond Park is an imposing venue, but we’ll travel to Limerick with belief in our ability to go out there and do what we have to on Saturday.
“Our record there is pretty decent, we’ve got boys in the team who know what it takes to win there, and we can draw on that experience, but it’s like I said, what happened last week, last month, last year, whatever, it won’t mean a thing at quarter past six on Saturday night. All that will count is what happens over the next hour-and-a-half.
“It’s good that we can welcome back one or two senior players who can provide different kinds of leadership in the build-up and once the whistle goes, but we aren’t getting ahead of ourselves. If we are going to deliver a winning performance on Saturday it will have to be a huge team effort, from everyone in the squad, not just the ones with 1-23 on their backs.
“It’ll be tough, no doubt about it, but these are the games we want to be involved in. They are the ones that matter and it’s what we’ve been working towards since day one of pre-season 11 months ago. We want to make that effort, all that hard work, count for something and we can’t wait to get started.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Munster – Points: Tyler Bleyendaal 126; Tries: Ronan O’Mahony 9; Ospreys – Points: Sam Davies 106; Tries: Keelan Giles 7
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Munster – Played 22, Won 19, Lost 3, 86 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), W 25-23 v Ospreys (away), L 30-21 v Scarlets (home), W 23-13 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 50-14 v Zebre (away), W 10-7 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 22-20 v Ulster (home), W 34-14 v Benetton Treviso (away), W 50-14 v Connacht (home); Ospreys – Played 22, Won 14, Lost 8, 69 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), L 25-23 v Munster (home), W 26-15 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 13-9 v Edinburgh (away), L 13-5 v Benetton Treviso (away), L 20-18 v Leinster (home), L 35-17 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 24-10 v Ulster (home), L 40-17 v Scarlets (away)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
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
Saturday, February 18, 2017 – Ospreys 23 Munster 25, Liberty Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Munster have played in seven previous PRO12 semi-finals, winning four, three of these have been at Thomond Park
– The Munstemen’s only defeat in the PRO12 since round 6 was 30-21 to the Scarlets in Limerick at the end of February (Munster’s only defeat at the venue in any competition since Christmas 2015)
– The Ospreys’ only victory in the last five rounds of the PRO12 was 24-10 at home to Ulster on April 29
– The Ospreys have lost their last three away games in the Championship but have not lost four in-a-row in the road since the 2014/15 season
– The Welshmen have won just once on their last six visits to an Irish province: 32-11 against Connacht in Galway in round 2 this season
– Munster have lost only one of their last five fixtures against the Ospreys, 21-17 in Cork in February 2016, while the Ospreys have not won in Limerick since September 2014
– The two sides have met in three previous PRO12 semi-finals with Munster having the edge by two wins to one
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