Munster face into 16 match weeks in-a-row between the GUINNESS PRO12 and Europe, and Anthony Foley wants his charges to propel themselves forward into this busy period with a winning performance against Cardiff Blues.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, October 17
MUNSTER (4th) v CARDIFF BLUES (8th), Irish Independent Park, 1.30pm (live TG4/S4C)
Team News: Munster head coach Anthony Foley has named his team to face Cardiff Blues at Irish Independent Park on Saturday afternoon.
CJ Stander will captain a Munster side that sees six changes to the one that defeated Glasgow Warriors, with fit-again backs Tomas O’Leary and Denis Hurley included in a matchday squad for the first time this season.
It is an all-new front row of Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry and BJ Botha with Mark Chisholm and Dave Foley continuing in the second row. Stander skippers the province from number 8 with Dave O’Callaghan and openside Jack O’Donoghue completing the back row.
Duncan Williams and Ian Keatley again pair up at half-back, while Academy player Rory Scannell and Francis Saili return to the starting line-up in midfield.
Two changes in the back-three see Shane Monahan make his second competitive start on the right wing with Andrew Conway switching to the full-back position, while Gerhard van den Heever remains on the opposite flank.
Having successfully completed their rehabilitation programmes, O’Leary and Hurley are in line to make their first appearances of the season after being named on the bench, and should John Ryan (pictured below) feature, the prop will win his 50th cap for the province.
On the injury front, it has been confirmed that Stephen Archer requires surgery after sustaining a neck injury during the recent win over Glasgow. The tighthead prop is expected to be sidelined for a number of months.
Adult tickets for Munster v Cardiff Blues start from €;15 while all accompanied KIDS GO FREE! Tickets 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, veteran hooker Matthew Rees makes his first start of the PRO12 season as Cardiff Blues travel to Cork to face Munster.
Former Wales international Rees is drafted into the front row and is also handed the captaincy for the encounter at the Irish Independent Park. Head coach Danny Wilson makes a total of four changes to the side that narrowly lost out to Connacht.
James Down is called up to the second row alongside Lou Reed who makes his 50th appearance for the Blues.
Manoa Vosawai is named at number 8 and will join forces with flankers Josh Turnbull and Ellis Jenkins in the back row. The final change to the starting line-up comes on the right wing with Garyn Smith selected.
Jarrad Hoeata (calf), Josh Navidi (neck). Aled Summerhill (head), Cory Allen (leg), Tom James (foot), Taufa’ao Filise and Tomos Williams miss the game through injury.
Macauley Cook and Jevon Groves are among the replacements and young winger Harry Davies could his PRO12 debut after being named on the bench.
MUNSTER: Andrew Conway; Shane Monahan, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Gerhard van den Heever; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry, BJ Botha, Mark Chisholm, Dave Foley, Dave O’Callaghan, Jack O’Donoghue, CJ Stander (capt).
Replacements: Niall Scannell, James Cronin, John Ryan, Robin Copeland, Jordan Coghlan, Tomas O’Leary, Denis Hurley, Dave Johnston.
CARDIFF BLUES: Dan Fish; Garyn Smith, Tom Isaacs, Gavin Evans, Richard Smith; Rhys Patchell, Tavis Knoyle; Sam Hobbs, Matthew Rees (capt), Craig Mitchell, Lou Reed, James Down, Josh Turnbull, Ellis Jenkins, Manoa Vosawai.
Replacements: Kristian Dacey, Thomas Davies, Dillon Lewis, Macauley Cook, Jevon Groves, Lewis Jones, Gareth Davies, Harry Davies.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Sean Gallagher, Gary Glennon (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes: Anthony Foley (Munster) – “It’s one thing we talked about among the leadership group last week about how we manage this (block of 16 games in-a-row), so we’re going to break it up into little blocks and try to manage those blocks over the period and set our goals accordingly.
“We have a tough few games coming up in front of us now. We have Cardiff, then the Scarlets, then Ulster and Edinburgh. Then we’re into Europe so it doesn’t get any easier from this point on after coming off the Ospreys and Glasgow.
“We’re looking for a big boost on Saturday and hope we get that from the crowd. We want to pack out the stadium. It’s great that the kids go free and hopefully we can get the crowd in there and get them behind the team. Hopefully we give a performance to match that.”
Danny Wilson (Cardiff Blues) – “Munster have been very strong so far this season and have some quality players. They have big ball carriers and play a power game – we need to match that.
“We will give them a huge amount of respect away from home, but at the same time we feel we are building something and are hoping that we can gain some momentum and good results in these away games to hold us in good stead for the rest of the season.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 23; Tries: CJ Stander 3; Cardiff Blues – Points: Rhys Patchell 41; Tries: Josh Turnbull 4
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, November 2, 2012 – Cardiff Blues 18 Munster 24, Cardiff Arms Park
Saturday, January 5, 2013 – Munster 6 Cardiff Blues 17, Musgrave Park
Saturday, November 23, 2013 – Cardiff Blues 10 Munster 31, Cardiff Arms Park
Saturday, February 8, 2014 – Munster 54 Cardiff Blues 13, Thomond Park
Saturday, November 1, 2014 – Cardiff Blues 24 Munster 28, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park
Saturday, February 14, 2015 – Munster 33 Cardiff Blues 16, Irish Independent Park
MATCH FACTS:
– Munster are one of three sides to have made a perfect start to the new GUINNESS PRO12 campaign and have won their last 11 matches at Irish Independent Park since Cardiff Blues beat them there in January 2013
– Cardiff may have started the season with a win and a pair of defeats but they are the top try scorers so far in the PRO12 with 15 in the first three rounds
– The Blues have won just once away from home in the PRO12 since September 2014: 11-9 at the Dragons on New Year’s Day 2015
– The Welshmen’s lone victory in their last ten encounters with Munster was 17-6 in Cork in January 2013
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