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Munster ‘A’ Team Named For Worcester Match

Head coach Mick O’Driscoll has made four personnel changes from last weekend’s British & Irish Cup opener as Munster ‘A’ travel to Worcester Warriors for round 2 of the competition on Saturday (Sixways Stadium, kick-off 3pm).

Both Niall Scannell and Christy Condon come in to join Alan Cotter in the front row. Midleton clubman Condon is promoted from the bench to starting tighthead, while Scannell makes his first appearance of the season after successfully rehabbing a fractured wrist.

The rest of the pack is unchanged with Shane Buckley and Sean McCarthy combining again in the second row, while Paddy Butler, Barry O’Mahony and captain Jack O’Donoghue form the back row.

Cathal Sheridan and Rory Scannell make up the half-back pairing once more, with the back-line seeing a couple of personnel and positional changes.

Johne Murphy comes in at outside centre to partner Niall Kenneally in the province’s midfield. In the back-three Ronan O’Mahony switches to the right wing, with Luke O’Dea’s move to full-back presenting left winger Greg O’Shea with his first British & Irish Cup start.

Worcester Warriors currently top Pool 3 and feature former Munster player Paul Warwick in their backroom staff as a support coach, while lock Darren O’Shea completed one year in the Greencore Munster Academy before making the move to the English side.

With tries from Ronan O’Mahony and blindside flanker Butler, Munster ‘A’ can also boast an in-form kicker after Rory Scannell kicked five from five penalties as well as one conversion in last weekend’s 27-21 win over Moseley at Clonmel RFC.

The performance also makes Scannell, who is interviewed below, the joint top points scorer in the competition so far.

MUNSTER ‘A’ (v Worcester Warriors): Luke O’Dea; Ronan O’Mahony, Johne Murphy, Niall Kenneally, Greg O’Shea; Rory Scannell, Cathal Sheridan; Alan Cotter, Niall Scannell, Christy Condon, Shane Buckley, Sean McCarthy, Paddy Butler, Barry O’Mahony, Jack O’Donoghue (capt).

Replacements: Max Abbott, Rory Burke, Darragh Moloney, Ryan Murphy, Jamie Glynn, Tomás Quinlan, Dan Goggin.