Munster are heavy odds-on favourites to complete a season’s double over the Ospreys and give their new South African head coach Johann van Graan a winning start on home soil.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, December 2
MUNSTER (2nd, Con A) v OSPREYS (7th, Con A), Irish Independent Park, 5.30pm (live Sky Sports Action/highlights TG4)
Team News: This evening’s game will mark Johann van Graan’s home debut as Munster head coach, with the province seeking a third successive GUINNESS PRO14 win. There are two changes to the side that won away to Zebre last Sunday as Ian Keatley and John Ryan return from international duty to start.
Simon Zebo continues at full-back with Darren Sweetnam and Alex Wootton, the province’s top try scorer with seven tries in the PRO14 so far this season, completing the back-three. Rory Scannell and Sam Arnold combine again in the centre and the returning Keatley partners James Hart at half-back.
Ryan comes in at tighthead prop to partner Liam O’Connor and Rhys Marshall in the front row. Captain Billy Holland and Jean Kleyn line out together in the second row, with the back row of Jack O’Donoghue, last week’s man-of-the-match Chris Cloete and Robin Copeland also unchanged.
Kevin O’Byrne, Brian Scott and Stephen Archer make up the front row replacements. Darren O’Shea and Greencore Munster Academy player Sean O’Connor complete the forward cover. Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan and Academy player Calvin Nash, who scored his first Munster try against Zebre last week, are the back-line replacements.
Munster v Ospreys tickets are available to buy online here and from the Munster Rugby Ticket office (9am-5pm, Monday to Friday) and the Mobile Ticket unit (Dolphin end) from 12pm on match day. Please note that it is unreserved seating in the West Stand.
Ticket prices: Adult Stand – sold out, Junior Stand – sold out, Adult Terrace – €;20, Junior Terrace – €;7, Family Pack Terrace – €;40 (two adults & two juniors).
Meanwhile, Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy has made four personnel changes to the team that slumped to the region’s heaviest ever PRO14 defeat last week – 47-6 at home to Glasgow Warriors. Bradley Davies, who makes his 100th Championship appearance, captains the side in the absence of Paul James (calf).
James’ injury sees loosehead prop Gareth Thomas come in for his first PRO14 start, as does Will Jones at openside flanker. Centres Keiron Fonotia and James Hook are the other changes, with Joe Thomas dropping to the bench and Ashley Beck ruled out with a knee injury.
With Wales playing South Africa today in their fourth autumn international, Nicky Smith, Rhodri Jones, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Sam Cross, Dan Lydiate, Rhys Webb, Dan Biggar, and Owen Watkin are all unavailable for the Ospreys’ trip to Cork.
MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Sam Arnold, Rory Scannell, Alex Wootton; Ian Keatley, James Hart; Liam O’Connor, Rhys Marshall, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland (capt), Jack O’Donoghue, Chris Cloete, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Brian Scott, Stephen Archer, Darren O’Shea, Sean O’Connor, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Calvin Nash.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Hanno Dirksen, Kieron Fonotia, James Hook, Jeff Hassler; Sam Davies, Tom Habberfield; Gareth Thomas, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Lloyd Ashley, Bradley Davies (capt), Olly Cracknell, Will Jones, James King.
Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Rowan Jenkins, Ma’afu Fia, Rob McCusker, Guy Mercer, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Luke Price, Joe Thomas.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Ian Davies, Simon Rees (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Sean Brickell (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Munster to win: 1/12; Draw: 33/1; Ospreys to win: 7/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Jack O’Donoghue (Munster) – “It’s a fresh start for us and Johann (van Graan) made that point earlier that we all start on zero. No one is up on a pedestal or anything like that. Everyone is on a level playing field and some players need that in order to get their season off and running again.
“There is great excitement around. Everyone is trying to put their best foot forward. They are trying to showcase what they can do, be it in in training, the match, and there always is that excitement when a new face comes in. People are eager to impress. There’s a good buzz around the place.
“We had a good chat and he gave great insight into what he believes in, about how we need to progress. He addressed – him and Rassie (Erasmus) they would have known each other and the game-plan is going to stay very much the same – he is not going to come in and change everything. But there might be one or two slight changes. But going forward, for the remainder of this season, he is very happy with the way things are going.
“We know that if our discipline is poor, the Ospreys will punish us. It’ll go three, six, nine, 12. They will really punish us if we don’t get it right and that is something we will address later in the team meeting.
“We did address (discipline against Zebre) at half-time and in the second half it was a bit better, but two yellow cards in the game was, you know, is something that in Europe, or even the Ospreys this weekend, that will be punished.
“They can do anything. These are the games where we can slip up and that can cost us long-term. They are playing with the shackles off now at the moment. They haven’t much to lose. They have only won two games this season and are very dangerous.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “Going to Munster always presents a sizeable challenge, any time of the season and whoever is on the field. This weekend is no different with Munster able to welcome back some of their Ireland contingent and Wales playing against South Africa.
“Clearly we have to see a reaction after the huge disappointment of last Sunday, with the circumstances meaning the onus is on this group of players and us as coaches to find a solution. We can’t dwell on it, we have to learn from it and look forward. It’s a cliché maybe, but it’s the reality of where we are this weekend with a short turnaround, the travel and player availability.
“We certainly won’t be sitting in a corner feeling sorry for ourselves. We know we are in a fight and will stick together to do the Ospreys badge justice.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 40; Tries: Alex Wootton 7; Ospreys – Points: Dan Biggar 44; Tries: Dan Evans, Ma’afu Fia, Keelan Giles 2 each
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Munster – Played 9, Won 6, Lost 3, 31 Points; W 34-3 v Benetton Rugby (home), W 51-18 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), W 21-16 v Ospreys (away), L 37-10 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 39-16 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 23-17 v Leinster (away), L 20-16 v Connacht (away), W 49-6 v Dragons (home), W 36-19 v Zebre (away); Ospreys – Played 9, Won 2, Lost 7, 11 Points; W 22-13 v Zebre (home), L 31-10 v Glasgow Warriors (away), L 21-16 v Munster (home), L 16-6 v Benetton Rugby (away), L 44-25 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), L 19-18 v Scarlets (home), W 28-14 v Dragons (home), L 37-10 v Edinburgh (away), L 47-6 v Glasgow Warriors (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
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
Saturday, May 20, 2017 – Semi-Final – Munster 23 Ospreys 3, Thomond Park
Saturday, September 16, 2017 – Ospreys 16 Munster 21, Liberty Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Munster have won their last two matches in the GUINNESS PRO14, both with a try-scoring bonus point, at home to the Dragons and away to Zebre
– The Munstermen’s only home defeat in any competition since September 2016 was to the Scarlets at Thomond Park in the league last February
– Munster have not been defeated in Cork since Cardiff Blues won there by a single point in round 2 last season
– The Ospreys have won just once in the last eight rounds of the PRO14: 28-14 at home to the Dragons in round 7, while they have not won away from home in the Championship since a trip to Edinburgh on March 3
– Munster’s only defeat in their last seven fixtures with the Ospreys was 21-17 in Cork in February 2016
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