Five Players Added To Munster Squad

Five players, including recently-capped Ireland lock Trevor Hogan, have been added to the Munster squad for Friday’s friendly trip to Leicester.

Trevor Hogan in action for Ireland in Japan

Five players, including recently-capped Ireland lock Trevor Hogan, have been added to the Munster squad for Friday’s friendly trip to Leicester.

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY: Friday, August 26

Leicester Tigers v Munster, Welford Road, 7.45pm

Munster coach Declan Kidney will be looking to build further on last week’s morale-boosting Thomond Park win over Northampton Saints by putting it up to the Tigers at Welford Road.

Kidney’s task has been helped by the addition of new signings Trevor Halstead, six-times capped by South Africa at centre, and Federico Pucciarello, the powerful prop was recently in camp with the Italian squad, Shaun Payne, first choice full-back in Christian Cullen’s absence, Hogan and Shannon centre Brian Tuohy to his 24-man travelling squad.

With Cullen (torn shoulder ligaments) and now centre Mike Mullins, who ruptured his Achilles tendon against the Saints and is expected to be sidelined for at least three months, Halstead and Tuohy should have an opportune chance to impress.

Pat Howard’s Tigers are unchanged from last week’s 22-17 loss to Connacht in Galway, but have bolstered their bench with three British & Irish Lions, namely club captain Martin Corry, prop Graham Rowntree and lock Ben Kay.

Former Leinster forwards Leo Cullen and Shane Jennings are also retained at lock and openside flanker for their second starts for the Guinness Premiership side. Tigers scrum-half Scott Bemard, who was originally pencilled in for replacement duty, injured his right ankle at training on Tuesday and will be out for upwards of six months.

LEICESTER TIGERS: Sam Vesty; Alesana Tuilagi, Dan Hipkiss, Daryl Gibson (Capt), Tom Varndell; Andy Goode, Harry Ellis; Michael Holford, George Chuter, Alex Moreno, James Hamilton, Leo Cullen, Brett Deacon, Shane Jennings, Will Johnson.

Replacements (from): Ephraim Taukafa, Graham Rowntree, Ben Kay, Luke Abraham, Martin Corry, Ross Broadfoot, Leon Lloyd, Austin Healey.

MUNSTER: Ben Martin; Paul Devlin, John Kelly, Rob Henderson, Mossie Lawlor; Paul Burke, Frank Murphy; Frank Roche, Jerry Flannery, Tony Buckley, AN Other, Mick O’Driscoll, John O’Sullivan, Johnny O’Connor, Stephen Keogh (Capt).

Referee: Roy Maybank (RFU)

Replacements (from): Eugene McGovern, Denis Fogarty, Federico Pucciarello, AN Other, Anthony Foley, Mike Prendergast, Jeremy Manning, Ian Dowling, Trevor Halstead, Brian Touhy, Barry Murphy.