Munster will look to strengthen their position in the top four of the GUINNESS PRO12 when they entertain Benetton Treviso who are battling to stay ahead of Italian rivals Zebre at the bottom end of the table.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, April 25
MUNSTER (3rd) v BENETTON TREVISO (11th), Irish Independent Park, 3.05pm (live TG4/Nuvolari TV)
Team News: Munster head coach Anthony Foley has named his team for Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 encounter with Benetton Treviso at Irish Independent Park.
Donnacha Ryan is set to make his first start since returning from injury and Tommy O’Donnell will win his 100th cap for the province when Munster resume their PRO12 campaign in Cork.
Foley has made just three alterations to the side that defeated Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield almost a fortnight ago. Stephen Archer comes in to start in the front row alongside Dave Kilcoyne and Duncan Casey, with Ryan partnering Munster Player of the Year nominee Billy Holland in the second row.
Since his return from a foot injury last month, Ryan has featured twice from the bench in the
PRO12 and completed his first 80 minutes of rugby when lining out for Munster ‘A’ against Ulster Ravens last week.
Once again, captain Peter O’Mahony joins O’Donnell and CJ Stander in the back row. The Tipperary native, who becomes Munster’s latest centurion, and Stander are also in the running for the Munster Player of the Year honour.
The inclusion of Academy Player of the Year nominee Rory Scannell is the final change to the starting line-up. The selected back-tline sees Conor Murray and Ian Keatley continue at half-back, Scannell joins Andrew Smith in the centre and Simon Zebo, Keith Earls and full-back Felix Jones form the back-three once more.
Tickets from just €;15 for adults and €;30 for families (2 adults & 2 kids) can be purchased online here, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, or by calling 0818 719 300.
Meanwhile, second-from-bottom Benetton Treviso come to Cork in the hope of upsetting the odds and claiming their first away win over Munster in 15 attempts.
The Italian outfit lost 33-13 at home to the Ospreys last time out, but head coach Umberto Casellato has opted to keep faith with the same starting line-up. Full-back Simone Ragusi is kept in reserve again despite scoring a second half try against the Welsh region – he also crossed the Munster whitewash back in September.
There are two enforced changes on the bench with Josè Novak selected this time as the replacement loosehead prop and 19-year-old lock/back rower Marco Lazzaroni standing in for sidelined captain Antonio Pavanello.
MUNSTER: Felix Jones; Keith Earls, Andrew Smith, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Duncan Casey, Stephen Archer, Billy Holland, Donnacha Ryan, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Eusebio Guinazu, John Ryan, BJ Botha, Donncha O’Callaghan, Dave O’Callaghan, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Ronan O’Mahony.
BENETTON TREVISO: Jayden Hayward; Andrea Pratichetti, Luca Morisi, Enrico Bacchin, Ludovico Nitoglia; Sam Christie, Edoardo Gori; Matteo Zanusso, Davide Giazzon, Rupert Harden, Marco Fuser, Corniel van Zyl (capt), Paul Derbyshire, Francesco Minto, Mat Luamanu.
Replacements: Albert Anae, Josè Novak, Romulo Acosta, Meyer Swanepoel, Nicola Cattina, Marco Lazzaroni, Simone Ragusi, James Ambrosini.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Dudley Phillips, Brian MacNeice (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Kevin Beggs (Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes: Keith Earls (Munster) – “Treviso are a very physical team like all Italian sides, that’s an area we will have to match them but the main thing is to look after ourselves and hopefully we will get the result.
“The big man (Anthony Foley) has us warned to keep an eye on only one match and that’s this weekend. Get the result this Saturday to put us in a good position for a top four finish.
“I don’t think we dare talk of Ulster and the Dragons, this is all about focusing on the Treviso game. It’s going to be each game as it comes, we have a break next week and we will look at Ulster then.
“I’m happy playing rugby. I’ve had a good eight or nine games under my belt, first time in a couple of years, so I’m very happy.
“It (my knee) flares up now and then, something I might have to keep looking after for the rest of my career. Sometimes I feel good but it needs to have a good warm-up but that’s something I’ll probably have to do even when I’m retired and playing five-a-side soccer!”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 132; Tries: CJ Stander, Simon Zebo 7 each; Benetton Treviso – Points: Jayden Hayward 92; Tries: Francesco Minto 4
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, February 18, 2012 – Benetton Treviso 14 Munster 35, Stadio di Monigo
Friday, September 7, 2012 – Munster 19 Benetton Treviso 6, Thomond Park
Sunday, February 24, 2013 – Benetton Treviso 34 Munster 10, Stadio di Monigo
Friday, September 20, 2013 – Benetton Treviso 29 Munster 19, Stadio di Monigo
Saturday, March 22, 2014 – Munster 14 Benetton Treviso 3, Thomond Park
Friday, September 12, 2014 – Benetton Treviso 10 Munster 21, Stadio di Monigo
MATCH FACTS:
– Munster’s only defeat in their last seven GUINNESS PRO12 fixtures was 26-12 to the Ospreys in Swansea on March 7
– The Munstermen have won their last eight matches at Irish Independent Park since Cardiff Blues won there 17-6 in January 2013
– Munster have won all 14 previous home ties they have played against Italian opponents in all competitions
– Benetton Treviso have slipped to four straight defeats in the PRO12 and failed to pick up a league point in that sequence, since beating Cardiff at the Stadio di Monigo on February 20
– Treviso have not won a game outside of Italy since a trip to the Scarlets in the last round of the 2012/13 PRO12 season
– The two sides have met on nine previous occasions in the PRO12 with Munster having the edge by six wins to three, with all three Treviso wins coming in home matches
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