O’Donoghue Leads Munster’s Festive Mission To Belfast

Munster visit Ulster at Kingspan Stadium on Friday night (kick-off 7.35pm – tickets are still available here), and Waterford man Jack O’Donoghue captains the team in the absence of Tadhg Beirne and Diarmuid Barron.

Barron (shoulder) and former captain Peter O’Mahony (calf) both picked up knocks in Castres, while in line with IRFU player management guidelines, the province’s current skipper, Beirne, is unavailable for selection this week.

Munster, who are 11th in the URC table and just a point behind Ulster, have not beaten one of their provincial rivals away from home since their 2023 semi-final win over Leinster (16-15) at the Aviva Stadium.

The last six matches between these two sides have been evenly split with three victories apiece, while Munster have won on two of their last four visits to Belfast, prevailing 24-17 in April 2022 and 15-14 in January 2023 respectively.

Munster’s interim head coach Ian Costello brings Shane Daly and Paddy Patterson into the back-line, and O’Donoghue, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, and Gavin Coombes are all handed starts in the pack.

Tom Farrell will make his 100th URC appearance in midfield, alongside Alex Nankivell, with Patterson joining Jack Crowley at half-back. Munster’s leading two scrum halves, Craig Casey (meniscus) and Conor Murray (elbow), are both currently injured.

The injuries coming out of that Castres game included South African flyer Thaakir Abrahams suffering a shoulder dislocation, so Daly links up with Mike Haley and Calvin Nash in the back-three.

Another South African, Dian Bleuler, is following the return-to-play protocols this week after failing a HIA. Ryan replaces him at loosehead prop, packing down alongside Niall Scannell and Stephen Archer, who is set for his 293rd senior appearance for Munster.

An engine room made up of Ahern and Fineen Wycherley, and a back row of O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, and Coombes, complete Munster’s starting eight as they go in search of an elusive first away win of the season, in all competitions.

Eoghan Clarke, who got game-time with Shannon last week, Dave Kilcoyne, and Oli Jager provide the front row cover. Evan O’Connell, Alex Kendellen, and Brian Gleeson are the other forwards in a six-two bench split, with Ethan Coughlan and Rory Scannell the back-line replacements.

Speaking ahead of the round 8 trip to Belfast, Munster skills coach Mossy Lawler said: “I don’t think we’ve looked at those results as a scope of where Ulster are – they’ve played against two massive teams (the last two weeks) in Toulouse and Bordeaux.

“Ulster were still in the game after 65 minutes against Bordeaux, and they played some really good rugby. So it’s a huge challenge.

“Ravenhill is a great place to go and play, and it’s an Irish derby. So really, really looking forward to it but it’s certainly going to be a massive challenge for us.”

He added: “Richie Murphy has done a great job since he went in (as Ulster head coach). He’s revitalised them and what they’re doing with the ball. You can see how much possession they want, they want to hold onto the ball now.

“They’ve got some serious weapons up front, and some really good, effective backs in the back-three, so they’re actually a threat all over the park.

“We just have to be at our best defensively, and making sure that we’re disciplined, unlike we were last week, and making sure we’re denying them any access into our half.”

MUNSTER (v Ulster); Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson; John Ryan, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Tom Ahern, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Donoghue (capt), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Dave Kilcoyne, Oli Jager, Evan O’Connell, Alex Kendellen, Ethan Coughlan, Rory Scannell, Brian Gleeson.