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Munster and Saracens name teams for Champions Cup semi-final
By Online Editors
Munster Head Coach Johann van Graan has made 12 changes to the side that earned an impressive win away to Benetton in Italy last weekend for Saturday’s record 14th Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
Mike Haley, Darren Sweetnam and Jack O’Donoghue are the only players to keep their places.
Keith Earls, who scored two tries in Munster's quarter-final win over Edinburgh, misses out due to injury having failed to make it through this week’s training.
Munster captain Peter O’Mahony leads the side on his 50th Champions Cup appearance. O’Mahony has started each of his 49 appearances in the competition to date, including all 23 of the province’s Champions Cup games over the last three seasons.
Haley starts at full-back with Andrew Conway and Sweetnam on either flank.
Joey Carbery's hamstring injury means that Tyler Bleyendaal is at 10, with Conor Murray alongside him. Rory Scannell and Chris Farrell form the centre partnership.
Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell and John Ryan pack down in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Tadhg Beirne in the engine room.
O’Mahony, O’Donoghue and CJ Stander complete the starting XV.
Saracens are at full strength, with loosehead Mako Vunipola making his first appearance for the club since January after picking up ankle ligament damage playing for England against France during the Six Nations.
Captain Brad Barritt has recovered from an ankle injury and is in the centre alongside Alex Lozowski, while Welsh international Liam Williams is back on the wing.
George Kruis will make his 50th Champions Cup appearance, he's in the second row alongside Maro Itoje.
Ben Spencer forms a halfback partnership with England captain Owen Farrell, while replacement scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth in line to make his 100th European appearance if he comes off the bench.
In total Saracens have made 10 changes to their starting team which lost 23-21 to Bristol Bears in the Gallagher Premiership last weekend.
USA international tighthead Titi Lamositele keeps his place in the front row.
Munster team to play Saracens:
15. Mike Haley, 14. Andrew Conway, 13. Chris Farrell, 12. Rory Scannell, 11. Darren Sweetnam, 10. Tyler Bleyendaal, 9. Conor Murray, 1. Dave Kilcoyne, 2. Niall Scannell, 3. John Ryan, 4. Jean Kleyn, 5. Tadhg Beirne, 6. Peter O'Mahony (c), 7. Jack O'Donoghue, 8. CJ Stander.
Replacements:
16. Rhys Marshall, 17. Jeremy Loughman, 18. Stephen Archer, 19. Billy Holland, 20. Arno Botha, 21. Alby Mathewson, 22. JJ Hanrahan, 23. Dan Goggin.
Saracens team to play Munster:
15. Alex Goode, 14. Sean Maitland, 13. Alex Lozowski, 12. Brad Barritt (c), 11. Liam Williams, 10. Owen Farrell, 9. Ben Spencer, 1. Mako Vunipola, 2. Jamie George, 3. Titi Lamositele, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. George Kruis, 6. Michael Rhodes, 7. Jackson Wray, 8. Billy Vunipola.
Replacements:
16. Joe Gray, 17. Richard Barrington, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. Will Skelton, 20. Schalk Burger, 21. Richard Wigglesworth, 22. Nick Tompkins, 23. David Strettle,
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Latest Comments
But he chose rightly or wrongly to play for Tonga. If he wanted to play for the ABs why didn’t he hold off?
Go to comments“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”
Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.
“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”
I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.
“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”
I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.
“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”
I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!
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