O’Donoghue Back In Munster Squad After Long-Term Knee Injury

The Munster team has been announced for their GUINNESS PRO14 clash with the Ospreys, one of their Conference A rivals, at the Liberty Stadium on Friday night (kick-off 7.35pm).

Second row Billy Holland captains the province with six changes to the side that secured a 43-0 bonus point win over the Isuzu Southern Kings at a sold-out Irish Independent Park last weekend.

Calvin Nash, who scored a try for Young Munster against UCD last Saturday, makes his first start of the season on the right wing with Dan Goggin and Jaco Taute coming in to form the centre partnership. Out-half JJ Hanrahan and front rowers Rhys Marshall and Stephen Archer are the other additions to the starting XV.

Mike Haley starts at full-back with Nash and Darren Sweetnam on the wings, while Neil Cronin, the scorer of Munster’s first try against the Kings, is joined by Hanrahan at half-back. Jeremy Loughman continues at loosehead prop with Holland and Jean Kleyn retained in the engine room and the back row is also unchanged.

In a welcome boost, Waterford native Jack O’Donoghue is named among the replacements and is set to make his first appearance since sustaining a knee injury last May. The bench also includes Ciaran Parker and Alby Mathewson, two of the five Munster players whose contract extensions were confirmed this week.

MUNSTER (v Ospreys): Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Dan Goggin, Jaco Taute, Darren Sweetnam; JJ Hanrahan, Neil Cronin; Jeremy Loughman, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland (capt), Fineen Wycherley, Chris Cloete, Arno Botha.

Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Liam O’Connor, Ciaran Parker, Darren O’Shea, Jack O’Donoghue, Alby Mathewson, Bill Johnston, Rory Scannell.