Munster will aim to pick up as many points as possible in their GUINNESS PRO12 final round clash with the Dragons, as they look to edge out their top four rivals for a home play-off.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, May 16
MUNSTER (3rd) v NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS (9th), Irish Independent Park, 3pm (live TG4/highlights TG4)
Team News: Munster head coach Anthony Foley has named his team to face the Newport Gwent Dragons at Irish Independent Park, with Ian Keatley set to win his 100th cap for the province and Paul O’Connell lining out in Cork for the first time this season.
It has been confirmed that Tommy O’Donnell sustained a torn hamstring during last Saturday’s game against Ulster. he is expected to be sidelined for approximately six to eight weeks.
Simon Zebo is another player ruled out of the round 22 fixture after failing to recover fully from back spasms, however, the winger is expected to make a return to full training next week after further rest.
Duncan Casey and Peter O’Mahony were late withdrawals from this week’s squad preparations with the hooker reporting mild back pain and the squad captain picking up a knock in training yesterday. Both players are expected to take a full part in next week’s programme.
In total, there are five personnel changes to the side that drew 23-23 away to Ulster last weekend with centre Denis Hurley named as captain for the sixth time this season.
John Ryan and BJ Botha come into the front row, either side of Argentinian Eusebio Guinazu (pictured below), and with Donnacha Ryan making the switch to blindside flanker, Billy Holland returns to the starting line-up alongside O’Connell in the second row.
This will be the first time that O’Connell has played at the redeveloped ground. Coincidentally, the last time the Ireland skipper played in Cork was also against the Newport Gwent Dragons back in September 2013.
Ryan is joined in the back row by Paddy Butler at openside flanker and last weekend’s man-of-the-match CJ Stander, who continues at number 8.
Conor Murray and Keatley, who wins his 100th Munster cap, remain at half-back, as do Hurley and Andrew Smith in midfield, while the only change in the back-line sees Ronan O’Mahony join the back-three alongside Keith Earls and Felix Jones.
Join Munster on the #HomeRun from just €;20 for adults, while great value family terrace packs are available from €;40. Purchase tickets online here, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, or by calling 0818 719300.
Tickets will also be on sale at the ground on Saturday morning at 10am from the Dolphin gate, and from 1.30pm at the Sunday’s Well gate.
Meanwhile, the Newport Gwent Dragons management have made three personnel changes and two positional switches to the team that posted a 19-5 home victory over Edinburgh.
The Newport-born Jason Tovey moves position from out-half to full-back as Tom Prydie reverts to the right wing, with Welsh international Hallam Amos on the left. The young centre pairing of Tyler Morgan and Jack Dixon remains unchanged from last weekend.
Dorian Jones is promoted from the bench to fill the number 10 jersey and Jonathan Evans makes his last appearance as scrum half for the Welsh region before joining up with Bath next season.
Boris Stankovich, who returned to play against Edinburgh in the last round, starts at loosehead prop. He is joined in the front row by fellow prop Brok Harris and hooker Hugh Gustafson.
The second row remains unchanged with Cory Hill and Rynard Landman being given the nod. Landman also takes on the role of skipper as Rhys Thomas continues his rehab after dislocating his finger against Edinburgh. Flankers Nick Crosswell and Nic Cudd feature again alongside number 8 Toby Faletau in the back row.
MUNSTER: Felix Jones; Keith Earls, Andrew Smith, Denis Hurley (capt), Ronan O’Mahony; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; John Ryan, Eusebio Guinazu, BJ Botha, Billy Holland, Paul O’Connell, Donnacha Ryan, Paddy Butler, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Dave Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Sean Dougall, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Andrew Conway.
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: Jason Tovey; Tom Prydie, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos; Dorian Jones, Jonathan Evans; Boris Stankovich, Hugh Gustafson, Brok Harris, Cory Hill, Rynard Landman (capt), Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Toby Faletau.
Replacements: Rhys Buckley, Phil Price, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, James Benjamin, Richie Rees, Ashton Hewitt, Geraint Rhys Jones.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Dudley Phillips, Sean Gallagher (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Kevin Beggs (Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes: Eusebio Guinazu (Munster) – “I am only contracted until the end of the season and to be honest I am really concentrating on that. I want to finish this season as best as possible. I have really enjoyed playing for Munster.
“It is a weird thing. I have only been here for eight months, but I feel like I have been here for ages. The guys make me feel so comfortable. I really love to play for this province.
“The most responsible thing now is what is next, the Dragons, a semi-final and hopefully a final. It would be a dream for me to play in those kind of games for this team. I really enjoy playing here. My focus is on that now. If I am very happy about how we finish the season, I will be able to think about what is next.
“It was a bitter feeling after the game (at Ulster) because the last try and the draw, well, it is not time to keep looking backwards, it is time to look forward and just concentrate on the Dragons.
“I think we did well in the scrums and lineouts last week. They worked well. As a hooker I am happy about it. But it’s really a collective effort. We have been working the whole season, most of the games that was the case, the forwards’ performance was good. It was a great challenge to come up against a very tough Ulster team, we just need to keep moving the same way forward, the Dragons, the semi-final, whatever is ahead of us.”
Kingsley Jones (Newport Gwent Dragons) – “I think there has been progress this season. To get to a semi-final in Europe was a high point – it was a step in the right direction and the number of young players we’ve blooded this season has been a real positive. They’re only going to get better so that’s massive for us.
“The first two months of the season were difficult for us and it took its toll on the squad. We had a lot of injuries and it set us back. We took a little while to recover. But after that the European (Challenge Cup) campaign was excellent for us and since November, we’ve been pretty good with the exception of Edinburgh away and the Scarlets game.
“We’ve won 50% of our games which is a big positive and it’s the first time the region has done that in a long time. We’ve got 41 points which would have put us in seventh place in the league last season.
“We want to continue to climb up the league and two more wins would have seen us sitting joint-sixth with the Scarlets. It’s about us changing perceptions of the Dragons so that we’re not known as the fourth region and this is a step in the right direction.”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 160; Tries: CJ Stander, Simon Zebo 8 each; Newport Gwent Dragons – Points: Tom Prydie 92; Tries: Hallam Amos 6
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, March 3, 2012 – Newport Gwent Dragons 14 Munster 24, Rodney Parade
Saturday, September 22, 2012 – Munster 33 Newport Gwent Dragons 13, Thomond Park
Friday, April 19, 2013 – Newport Gwent Dragons 30 Munster 24, Rodney Parade
Saturday, September 28, 2013 – Munster 23 Newport Gwent Dragons 9, Musgrave Park
Friday, November 29, 2013 – Newport Gwent Dragons 14 Munster 18, Rodney Parade
Friday, November 21, 2014 – Newport Gwent Dragons 12 Munster 38, Rodney Parade
MATCH FACTS:
– Even a bonus point victory for Munster in this encounter may not be enough to give them a home play-off, while the Munstermen’s only defeat in the last nine rounds of GUINNESS PRO12 fare came on a visit to the Ospreys in round 17
– Munster have won their last nine matches in Cork since Cardiff Blues beat them there in January 2013
– The Newport Gwent Dragons have already ensured that they will finish in ninth place in this season’s PRO12 and have lost just one of their last five league matches
– The men of Gwent have won three of their four clashes with Irish provinces since the turn of the year
– The Welshmen’s only success against Munster in their last eight meetings came at Rodney Parade in April 2013, while the only time they have been triumphant on Munster soil was on their very visit to Thomond Park in March 2004
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