Munster are hoping that Simon Zebo, Robin Copeland and Gerbrandt Grobler can bid farewell to the Thomond Park faithful in winning style today. Edinburgh stand between Johann van Graan’s men and a GUINNESS PRO14 semi-final shot at Leinster.
GUINNESS PRO14 SEMI-FINAL QUALIFIER: Saturday, May 5
MUNSTER (2nd, Con A) v EDINBURGH (3rd, Con B), Thomond Park, 3.15pm (live TG4/Sky Sports Action/Sky Sports Main Event/BBC ALBA)
Team News: Simon Zebo starts at full-back in his final game for Munster at Thomond Park, with 12 changes made to the side that drew 24-all with Ulster in the final round of the GUINNESS PRO14’s regular season last Saturday.
Munster Rugby Player of the Year Keith Earls and Andrew Conway start on either flank, with Rory Scannell returning to the side at inside centre as Young Player of the Year Sam Arnold keeps his place. JJ Hanrahan is also retained at out-half and is partnered by Conor Murray.
James Cronin, man-of-the-match in last week’s interprovincial clash, starts at loosehead prop with Rhys Marshall and Stephen Archer both returning to the side. Jean Kleyn and Billy Holland are back in the engine room with captain Peter O’Mahony, Jack O’Donoghue and CJ Stander making up the back row.
Mike Sherry, Dave Kilcoyne and Ciaran Parker provide the front row cover, while Gerbrandt Grobler and Robin Copeland are set to make their final Munster appearances at Thomond Park as replacements. James Hart, Ian Keatley and Darren Sweetnam complete the bench.
The winners of the semi-final qualifier will travel to the RDS to face Leinster at the semi-final stage on Saturday, May 19 (kick-off 3.15pm). Munster are running a special children’s offer for the Edinburgh match as up to four kids go free if you purchase tickets online.
Munster v Edinburgh tickets are available to buy via Ticketmaster.ie, from the Munster Rugby ticket offices in Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, or by calling 061-421103.
Meanwhile, a revamped Edinburgh midfield sees Chris Dean return to action after missing last weekend’s 24-19 1872 Cup victory over Glasgow Warriors due to injury. He starts alongside Scotland international Mark Bennett who gets the nod at outside centre.
Full-back Blair Kinghorn, a late withdrawal before the Glasgow game, has recovered from illness and is once again named in the starting XV. They are the three personnel changes made by Edinburgh boss Richard Cockerill.
With Kinghorn reinstated at full-back, Dougie Fife returns to the wing alongside South African star Duhan van der Merwe. Jaco van der Walt and scrum half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne are once again named at half-back.
An unchanged front row sees props Jordan Lay and Simon Berghan pack down either side of captain Stuart McInally. Scotland internationals Ben Toolis and Grant Gilchrist continue in the second row, while Fijian star Bill Mata features alongside Magnus Bradbury and Jamie Ritchie in an unaltered back row.
MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Andrew Conway, Sam Arnold, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; JJ Hanrahan, Conor Murray; James Cronin, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Jack O’Donoghue, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Mike Sherry, Dave Kilcoyne, Ciaran Parker, Gerbrandt Grobler, Robin Copeland, James Hart, Ian Keatley, Darren Sweetnam.
EDINBURGH: Blair Kinghorn; Dougie Fife, Mark Bennett, Chris Dean, Duhan van der Merwe; Jaco van der Walt, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; Jordan Lay, Stuart McInally (capt), Simon Berghan, Ben Toolis, Grant Gilchrist, Magnus Bradbury, Jamie Ritchie, Bill Mata.
Replacements: Neil Cochrane, Allan Dell, WP Nel, Lewis Carmichael, Cornell du Preez, Nathan Fowles, Duncan Weir, James Johnstone.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse, Ian Davies (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Jon Mason (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Munster to win: 2/9; Draw: 18/1; Edinburgh to win: 10/3
Pre-Match Quotes: CJ Stander (Munster) – “Edinburgh are a team that work hard every weekend for each other. A lot of people really didn’t see them coming in games, and they surprised them. They work hard for each other, have a big work-rate and the team stick together.
“(Richard Cockerill) is a guy that coached European Cup teams, he coached Leicester and we played against them. He knows what he is doing, he hasn’t surprised me at all.
“Look, it is a thing we work for every year. It is tough to get into those semis again and a final and not get anything. Especially, personally, if you have won something you want something again.
“It will be massive for the players and the coaches (if we could win the PRO14 title) and, from my point of view, for our supporters who have always been there every weekend pitching up for us.
“Those reviews (like the one after the Racing game) are always the toughest ones because a lot of people are honest. That’s really what you need in this job – you need honesty and coaches are always honest with us.
“We see what we did wrong. You can’t start like that at all. 24-3 down in the first half, you’re never going to come back. We did it against Leinster in Thomond Park in the PRO14 and we were disappointed again.
“It’s like an addiction. You need to put your hand up and say ‘I wasn’t good enough and I didn’t do this good enough’. And deal with it yourself first and then you can look at other people in the process. You have to put your hand up and say you were wrong.”
Richard Cockerill (Edinburgh) – “It’s going to be a big day for us and we have earned the right to be there – the league table doesn’t lie. We can beat them if we get it right. We played a Munster second team in March, so we expect to face a different side this weekend.
“They have world class players and are a different force at home. We’re looking forward to it and these are the challenges we want. We know if we play at our best, we will give ourselves opportunities to beat Munster. The chances are that they should win, however, they are at home and have just dropped out of Europe, so there is a bit of pressure on them.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 98; Tries: Alex Wootton 8; Edinburgh – Points: Duncan Weir 85; Tries: Duhan van der Merwe 8
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Munster – Played 21, Won 13, Drawn 1, Lost 7, 69 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), W 36-10 v Ospreys (home), L 34-24 v Leinster (home), L 24-17 v Ulster (away), W 39-13 v Connacht (home), W 33-5 v Zebre (home), L 25-18 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 21-10 v Glasgow Warriors (home), L 12-6 v Edinburgh (away), W 19-7 v Scarlets (home), W 39-22 v Southern Kings (away), W 19-17 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), D 24-24 v Ulster (home); Edinburgh – Played 21, Won 15, Lost 6, 68 Points; W 20-10 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 35-18 v Dragons (home), L 20-17 v Benetton Rugby (home), L 28-8 v Scarlets (away), L 21-13 v Leinster (away), W 16-15 v Zebre (home), W 24-13 v Benetton Rugby (away), W 37-10 v Ospreys (home), L 33-13 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), W 48-21 v Southern Kings (away), W 18-17 v Glasgow Warriors (home), L 17-0 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 37-7 v Southern Kings (home), W 29-24 v Leinster (home), W 17-16 v Ulster (away), W 25-12 v Dragons (away), W 12-6 v Munster (home), W 29-22 v Connacht (away), L 32-20 v Ulster (home), W 52-14 v Scarlets (home), W 24-19 v Glasgow Warriors (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, April 11, 2015 – Edinburgh 3 Munster 34, BT Murrayfield
Saturday, November 7, 2015 – Edinburgh 14 Munster 16, BT Murrayfield
Friday, April 29, 2016 – Munster 27 Edinburgh 19, Irish Independent Park
Saturday, September 24, 2016 – Munster 28 Edinburgh 14, Thomond Park
Friday, February 3, 2017 – Edinburgh 9 Munster 10, Myreside
Friday, March 16, 2018 – Edinburgh 12 Munster 6, BT Murrayfield
MATCH FACTS:
– Munster have now reached the end of season play-offs in seven of the last nine years but only won the title once in that period (2011)
– Munster are unbeaten in their last four GUINNESS PRO14 games since their 12-6 reversal to Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield on March 16
– Munster’s only defeat at home in any tournament since February 2017 was to Leinster at Thomond Park on St. Stephen’s Day
– This is Edinburgh’s first appearance in the play-offs since they were reintroduced in 2010
– The Scotsmen’s only loss in the last nine rounds of the PRO14 was 32-20 at home to Ulster in round 19, while their only defeat in the Championship outside of Scotland since September was at the Toyota Cheetahs in November
– Edinburgh beat Munster 12-6 at BT Murrayfield in their only encounter this season to end a five-match winning run in the series by the province
– Edinburgh have been victorious at Thomond Park just once since 2006: 14-13 in September 2014
– Edinburgh have won on both of their visits to Irish provinces in 2018
This website uses cookies.
Read More