A home win over pool leaders Leicester would inject plenty of momentum into Munster’s Champions Cup season, as Anthony Foley’s men look to bounce back from recent league defeats to Connacht and the Dragons.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 4: Saturday, December 12
MUNSTER (2nd) v LEICESTER TIGERS (1st), Thomond Park, 7.45pm (live BT Sport Europe/beIN Sports/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: Conor Murray, Donnacha Ryan, Francis Saili and Mike Sherry have all come through this week’s preparations in time to be included in Munster’s squad to take on Leicester Tigers in Limerick.
Head coach Anthony Foley has made nine changes to the team that started against the Newport Gwent Dragons last Sunday. James Cronin and BJ Botha return in the front row, packing down either side of young hooker Niall Scannell will is set for his first European appearance.
The returning Ryan joins Dave Foley in the second row, while Robin Copeland and CJ Stander are named alongside Dave O’Callaghan in the back row.
Selected at blindside flanker, this will be Copeland’s first Champions Cup start for the province, while Stander returns to captain the side from number 8.
A changed half-back pairing sees Murray and Ian Keatley renew their partnership after Murray successfully rehabbed a bruised bone in his foot which he sustained during the round 1 win over Benetton Treviso.
The other changes to the back-line see Saili, Keith Earls and Andrew Conway all back in the line-up. Saili starts with Denis Hurley in midfield, while Simon Zebo is joined by Earls and Conway in the back-three.
Hooker Sherry is included among the replacements after rehabbing the knee injury he suffered against Treviso, while Tyler Bleyendaal is in line to make his European debut if sprung from the bench.
Thomond Park will welcome its one millionth European Cup supporter through the turnstiles at Saturday’s game, 20 years after hosting Munster’s first European fixture against Swansea in November 1995.
In marking the occasion, the Munster Rugby Ticket Office and Thomond Park will be identifying the one millionth supporter through the turnstiles on Saturday night and the lucky fan will win a pair of tickets to all of Munster’s home games for the next five seasons. The selected prize winner will also receive upgraded tickets for the Munster-Leicester clash and will receive their prize on the pitch at half-time.
Tickets are available to buy from the ticket offices in Thomond Park and Irish Independent Park, online here or by calling 0818 719300. Ticket prices start from €;20 for adults, €;60 for families or €;10 for students. Full match day and ticket information can be found here.
Meanwhile, New Zealander Brendon O’Connor and former Australia Under-20 international Lachlan McCaffrey return to join captain Ed Slater in the back row for only Leicester Tigers’ second ever visit to Thomond Park.
With Slater at blindside flanker, Graham Kitchener partners Mike Fitzgerald at lock and Argentinian Marcos Ayerza returns to an all-international front row.
Ben Youngs returns at scrum half alongside Owen Williams and there is only one other change in the back five from the team that gained a bonus point win at Worcester Warriors last weekend with Matt Smith replacing Peter Betham at centre.
Argentina winger Gonzalo Camacho is in line for his competitive debut for the club after being named among the replacements.
MUNSTER: Andrew Conway; Keith Earls, Francis Saili, Denis Hurley, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; James Cronin, Niall Scannell, BJ Botha, Dave Foley, Donnacha Ryan, Robin Copeland, Dave O’Callaghan, CJ Stander (capt).
Replacements: Mike Sherry, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan, Mark Chisholm, Jack O’Donoghue, Tomas O’Leary, Tyler Bleyendaal, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino.
LEICESTER TIGERS: Telusa Veainu; Adam Thompstone, Matt Smith, Seremaia Bai, Vereniki Goneva; Owen Williams, Ben Youngs; Marcos Ayerza, Tom Youngs, Dan Cole, Graham Kitchener, Mike Fitzgerald, Ed Slater (capt), Brendon O’Connor, Lachlan McCaffrey.
Replacements: Harry Thacker, Matias Aguero, Fraser Balmain, Dom Barrow, Tom Croft, Sam Harrison, Tommy Bell, Gonzalo Camacho.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant Referees: Tual Trainini, Laurent Breil (both France)
Television Match Official: Gilles Cogne (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Munster to win: 4/6; Draw: 16/1; Leicester Tigers to win: 6/4
Pre-Match Quotes: Anthony Foley (Munster) – “You’re playing ‘cup rugby’ now. This is the fixture we lost to Clermont Auvergne at home last year – that’s fresh in the memory. When we got to the end of the pool stages, it was the one that cost us getting out of our pool.
“It’s important that we focus in on the task in hand, make sure we get our performance right, and make sure we are disciplined. We need to make sure we are physical around Leicester because they are going to be physical around us.
“Even watching the Worcester game last weekend, they took Worcester on up front and grinded them. When you are playing in the early days of December, it’s not going to be the best of conditions, so it could be an attritional game – it could be an attritional fortnight for both sides. It’s important that we are prepared for that.”
Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers) – “We got maximum points at Worcester and that is what counts at the end of the season, but from a performance point of view, there is a lot to improve on going to Munster.
“We reviewed the game and we weren’t too happy with how we played so it’s nice to have a change of focus going into Europe.
“I’ve never had a chance to play at Thomond Park or against Munster in a competitive game, so I’m excited about it. We know a lot about their spirit and it’s an exciting challenge against a very competitive Munster side.”
Current Form – Munster – (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 18-13 at home to Benetton Treviso; Won 20-18 away to the Ospreys; Won 23-21 at home to Glasgow Warriors; Won 35-27 at home to Cardiff Blues; Lost 25-22 away to the Scarlets; Won 32-28 at home to Ulster; Won 16-14 away to Edinburgh; (European Champions Cup): Won 32-7 at home to Benetton Treviso; (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 18-12 at home to Connacht; Lost 22-6 away to the Newport Gwent Dragons
Leicester Tigers – (Aviva Premiership): Won 28-16 away to London Irish; Won 22-19 at home to Harlequins; Won 24-16 at home to Wasps; Lost 19-6 away to Exeter Chiefs; (European Champions Cup): Won 33-20 at home to Stade Francais; Won 36-3 away to Benetton Treviso; (Aviva Premiership): Won 21-11 at home to Bath; Won 29-20 away to Worcester Warriors
Top Scorers – 2015/16 European Champions Cup: Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 12; Tries: BJ Botha, CJ Stander, Duncan Casey, Simon Zebo 1 each; Leicester Tigers – Points: Owen Williams, Telusa Veainu 10 each; Tries: Telusa Veainu 2
Previous European Meetings: 4
Saturday, January 20, 2007 – Pool 4 – Munster 6 Leicester Tigers 13, Thomond Park
Sunday, October 22, 2006 – Pool 4 – Leicester Tigers 19 Munster 21, Welford Road
Sunday, April 13, 2003 – Quarter-final – Leicester Tigers 7 Munster 20, Welford Road
Saturday, May 25, 2002 – Final – Leicester Tigers 15 Munster 9, Millennium Stadium
Match Facts –
– Leicester Tigers have won their last four matches in all competitions, including a stunning comeback from 17-0 down to win 29-20 against Worcester Warriors last Saturday. It equalled the Tigers’ biggest points turnaround in their 135-year history
– Munster go into this clash having lost two consecutive GUINNESS PRO12 fixtures for the first time since May 2014
– Munster still boast one of the best European Cup records around having won an incredible 62 of their 66 home matches in the competition
– Leicester are one of the few sides to have toppled the Munstermen on their own patch with a famous 13-6 win in January 2007
– In the four times these two teams have met in Europe neither side has won on their own patch
European Cup Records:
Munster –
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2013/14: Reached the semi-finals
2012/13: Reached the semi-finals
2011/12: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2009/10: Reached the semi-finals
2008/09: Reached the semi-finals
2007/08: Champions
2006/07: Reached the quarter-finals
2005/06: Champions
2004/05: Reached the quarter-finals
2003/04: Reached the semi-finals
2002/03: Reached the semi-finals
2001/02: Runners-up
2000/01: Reached the semi-finals
1999/00: Runners-up
1998/99: Reached the quarter-finals
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool D
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool D
1995/96: Failed to qualify from Pool D
Leicester Tigers –
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Reached the quarter-finals
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2010/11: Reached the quarter-finals
2009/10: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2008/09: Runners-up
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2006/07: Runners-up
2005/06: Reached the quarter-finals
2004/05: Reached the semi-finals
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2002/03: Reached the quarter-finals
2001/02: Champions
2000/01: Champions
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1997/98: Reached the quarter-finals
1996/97: Runners-up
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