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Beirne set for first Munster outing since December, Papali'i debuts for Connacht
By Online Editors
Ireland international Tadhg Beirne will feature for Munster on Sunday for the first time since fracturing an ankle in a Heineken Champions Cup defeat to Saracens last December.
The second row was stretchered off at Allianz Park after falling awkwardly just eleven minutes into the European defeat eight months ago and having overcome a setback earlier his month, he is now ready to make a return with Munster seeking a win over Connacht to secure qualification for the Guinness PRO14 semi-finals.
The inclusion of the 28-year-old is one of five changes to the Munster pack following last Saturday's defeat to Leinster, a game that witnessed the seventh-minute departure of new signing RG Snyman with an ACL tear following an awkward fall at a lineout.
Aside from Beirne, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Fineen Wycherley and Chris Cloete are all drafted into the side that retains the same starting backline. Jack O'Donoghue makes the bench following recovery from a recent concussion.
Coach Johann van Graan said: "Jack came through his return to play protocols very well and it’s great to have him back. Connacht really played well last Sunday against Ulster and it’s always a big battle facing them, we expect a very good game on Sunday."
Fresh from that win over Ulster at the Aviva, Connacht coach Andy Friend makes 14 changes in what will be his team's final game of the 2019/20 restart.
Among those starting for the first time is Sammy Arnold, the Ireland international who joined from Munster during the off-season. No8 Abraham Papali’i, the New Zealander signed from Bay of Plenty, is also included in an XV where Eoghan Masterson is the only starter retained from last week.
“Our key objective in these two games has always been to give players some much-needed game time while putting in two positive performances which reflects the work they’ve put in as a squad these past few months," explained Friend.
"Thankfully we have so far managed to do that after last week’s excellent result. Now is an opportunity for a new group of players to impress so I’m looking forward to seeing them in action.”
MUNSTER: 15. Shane Daly; 14. Andrew Conway, 13. Chris Farrell, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Keith Earls; 10. JJ Hanrahan, 9 Conor Murray; 1. Jeremy Loughman, 2. Niall Scannell, 3. John Ryan, 4. Fineen Wycherley, 5. Tadhg Beirne, 6. Peter O’Mahony (capt), 7. Chris Cloete, 8. CJ Stander. Reps: 16. Kevin O’Byrne, 17. Liam O’Connor, 18. Stephen Archer, 19. Billy Holland, 20. Jack O’Donoghue, 21. Craig Casey, 22. Rory Scannell, 23. Jack O’Sullivan.
CONNACHT: 15. Tiernan O’Halloran; 14. Colm de Buitlear, 13. Sammy Arnold, 12. Tom Daly, 11. Matt Healy; 10. Conor Fitzgerald, 9. Caolin Blade; 1. Paddy McAllister, 2. Shane Delahunt, 3. Dominic Robertson-McCoy, 4. Niall Murray, 5. Quinn Roux (capt), 6. Eoghan Masterson, 7. Conor Oliver, 8. Abraham Papali’i. Reps: 16. Jonny Murphy, 17. Conor Kenny, 18. Matthew Burke, 19. Ultan Dillane, 20. Seán Masterson, 21. Stephen Kerins, 22. Peter Robb, 23. Conor Dean.
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Latest Comments
Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
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