Munster Starlet Healy Handed First PRO14 Start
Promising out-half Ben Healy is pictured in Celtic Cup action for Munster 'A' earlier this season ©INPHO/James Crombie
The Munster team to face Edinburgh in the GUINNESS PRO14 at Irish Independent Park on Friday night (kick-off 7.35pm) has been finalised by head coach Johann van Graan.
Stephen Archer starts on his 200th Munster appearance as the Cork-born 31-year-old prop becomes just the 11th Munster man to reach the landmark.
Academy player Ben Healy will make his first PRO14 start at out-half. The former Nenagh Ormond and Glenstal Abbey player was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland Under-20s last season and plays his Energia All-Ireland League rugby with Garryowen.
Jack O’Donoghue captains the side with eleven members of the starting XV products of the Greencore Munster Rugby Academy. Shane Daly features at full-back with fellow youngsters Calvin Nash and Alex Wootton named on either flank.
Sam Arnold and Dan Goggin pair up together in the province’s midfield, while Nick McCarthy joins the 20-year-old Healy in a new-look half-back combination.
Liam O’Connor, Rhys Marshall and the aforementioned Archer pack down alongside each other in the front row, ably supported by Fineen Wycherley and Darren O’Shea in the engine room.
Stand-in captain O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell and Arno Botha fill the back row berths and complete the selected team. Tickets for the round 7 encounter in Cork are available to buy online here.
MUNSTER (v Edinburgh): Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Sam Arnold, Dan Goggin, Alex Wootton; Ben Healy, Nick McCarthy; Liam O’Connor, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Darren O’Shea, Jack O’Donoghue (capt), Tommy O’Donnell, Arno Botha.
Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, James Cronin, Keynan Knox, Jed Holloway, Conor Oliver, Neil Cronin, JJ Hanrahan, Rory Scannell.