Munster are the early pacesetters in Conference A of the GUINNESS PRO14, and their first away match of the season sees them renew rivalries with the Ospreys in a repeat of last May’s semi-final.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, September 16
OSPREYS (4th, Con A) v MUNSTER (1st, Con A), Liberty Stadium, 3.15pm (live Sky Sports Action/TG4)
Team News: Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has made just one change for Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO14 match against the Ospreys at Liberty Stadium.
Like last weekend, that one change comes in the half-backs with Tyler Bleyendaal returning to captain the Conference A leaders in the number 10 jersey.
Should he appear off the bench, Ireland international John Ryan will make his 100th appearance for the province having made his debut against Cardiff Blues in September 2011. The former Muskerry, CBC and UCC prop becomes the tenth member of the current squad to reach the career milestone.
Ryan’s fellow prop James Cronin is also included among the replacements and could make his first appearance of the season having successfully rehabbed a knee injury.
With two rounds played, Munster and the Ospreys, who both play in Conference A, lie in first and fourth respectively, the former recording back-to-back bonus point wins over Benetton Rugby and the Toyota Cheetahs, and the Welshmen winning at Zebre before suffering a comprehensive 31-10 defeat away to Glasgow Warriors last time out.
Munster take big momentum into Saturday’s round 3 fixture and are in the midst of their best ever away record in the league, having won on each of their last eight away trips since losing to Leinster at the Aviva Stadium last October.
Erasmus commented: “The Ospreys, we played them three times last season and they have the same coaching staff this year, but they have so many different options and ways to vary it up, at 10 and 15 and their loose forwards for example.
“With their ability to add something new into the mix all the time it’s impossible for me to hit the nail on the head (on Monday) and tell you what we expect this weekend. It will be a tough assignment, that is for sure.
“It’s important that we carry the positives from the first two rounds into the next game, and apart from the obvious things that everybody sees, the players took some nice opportunities when they came their way. By that I mean, you don’t always have to execute the game-plan 100%, when opportunities arrive, take them and trust your skill-set.
“As a coaching team, we would also like to see that mind-set flow into pressure games. It’s easy to take them when you are 20 or 30 points up, but doing it at critical junctures of pressure games is where you need to grow it to.
“Elsewhere, we could have been more accurate at the breakdown. We had a concentration lapse in defence just after half-time and that allowed the Cheetahs cross for a simple try. If we do that against a team like the Ospreys they can put us away.”
Meanwhile, Wales internationals Dan Lydiate and Dan Biggar have been added to the Ospreys bench for the visit of the Conference A leaders. Lydiate has not played since suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury during Wales’ November 2016 win over South Africa.
Steve Tandy’s charges lost 31-10 at Glasgow Warriors in round 2 and the head coach has reacted by bringing the experienced James Hook at inside centre, with Cory Allen moving to the outside centre berth. Kieron Fonotia drops to the bench.
Olly Cracknell is going through the return-to-play protocols this week, so his absence sees Dan Baker come back in at number 8 with James King shifting to the blindside. The Neath-born Baker returns after being taken off for a head injury during the 22-13 first round victory over Zebre.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Cory Allen, James Hook, Jeff Hassler; Sam Davies, Tom Habberfield; Paul James, Sam Parry, Ma’afu Fia, Bradley Davies, Lloyd Ashley, James King, Justin Tipuric (capt), Dan Baker.
Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Nicky Smith, Rhodri Jones, Adam Beard, Dan Lydiate, Matthew Aubrey, Dan Biggar, Kieron Fonotia.
MUNSTER: Andrew Conway; Darren Sweetnam, Chris Farrell, Jaco Taute, Alex Wootton; Tyler Bleyendaal (capt), Duncan Williams; Liam O’Connor, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland, Sean O’Connor, Tommy O’Donnell, Jack O’Donoghue.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, James Cronin, John Ryan, Fineen Wycherley, Robin Copeland, James Hart, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo.
Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Dan Jones, Adam Jones (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Tim Hayes (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ospreys to win: 11/10; Draw: 14/1; Munster to win: 4/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Jack O’Donoghue (Munster) – “That’s the challenge, isn’t it? Since I came in there’s never been a lapse (in competition in places), has there? That creates a good environment and good competition. When people get complacent is when teams’ performances might start slacking.
“It’s something in Munster that we have always driven, the standards off the pitch and on the pitch and good competition between players. You have your friendships off the pitch but it’s very competitive on it.
“There’s a lot of coaching between players and it’s something that is going to have to step up this year with the change in coaching staff. It’s going to have to be player-driven for the season. That’s where a lot of the older lads who have been away with the Lions and Ireland are going to have to step up. Even for a younger lad – and I class myself as one of the younger lads – it’s a chance for me to step up as a leader.
“There is the challenge that you want to be starting for the European Cup games, for the interpro games and that’s something you’d be thinking about leading into this block of games. We have the Ospreys, Glasgow and Cardiff and then the interpros.
“You have that bit of extra game-time before Pete (O’Mahony) and CJ (Stander) return in the next few weeks. You want to be able to put your best foot forward for Rassie and Jacques (Nienaber) and show them, ‘this is what I can do, this is what I bring to the season’ – and try to kick on.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “Munster at the Liberty is always a huge occasion and this week will be no different. We’re really looking forward to Saturday afternoon and testing ourselves against a team that have started really well with back-to-back home wins in the first two rounds.
“We know what to expect from Munster, in that they’ll be physical, well organised and clinical, and we have to match that. Last week in Glasgow we were certainly able to match another good side physically in a contest that was a real arm wrestle for long periods.
“We set ourselves up well, but we let ourselves down with that lack of accuracy at key moments that meant we lacked the clinical edge that would have given the scoreboard a different look.
“Back in front of our own supporters this weekend it’s important that there’s a positive reaction and we’ve all got a big part to play in that, to ensure we can start to create some real momentum for two weeks on the road before we come back here to face the Scarlets next month.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Ospreys – Points: Keelan Giles 10; Tries: Keelan Giles 2; Munster – Points: Alex Wootton 25; Tries: Alex Wootton 5
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Ospreys – Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, 4 Points; W 22-13 v Zebre (home), L 31-10 v Glasgow Warriors (away); Munster – Played 2, Won 2, 10 Points; W 34-3 v Benetton Rugby (home), W 51-18 v Toyota Cheetahs (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
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
Saturday, May 20, 2017 – Semi-Final – Munster 23 Ospreys 3, Thomond Park
MATCH FACTS:
– The Ospreys’ only victory in the last four rounds of the GUINNESS PRO14 was 22-13 against Zebre in round 1 in the only home game in that sequence
– The Ospreys have won just two of their last eight matches at Liberty Stadium against Irish provinces: against Connacht in January and Ulster in April
– Munster’s lone defeat in their last ten PRO14 fixtures was 46-22 in last year’s final to the Scarlets at the Aviva Stadium
– Munster are in the midst of their best ever away record in the Championship having won on each of their last eight away trips since losing to Leinster in round 6 last season
– Munster have lost just one of their last six encounters with the Ospreys (21-17 in Cork in February 2016), while they have been victorious on three of their last four visits to Liberty Stadium
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