Munster Side To Face Scarlets

Munster Head Coach Johann van Graan has included three Greencore Munster Rugby Academy players in the squad for Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 clash against Scarlets at Thomond Park (5pm).

Academy back-row Jack O’Sullivan keeps his place at no.8 and is set to make his seventh senior appearance with Diarmuid Barron and John Hodnett among the replacements.

There are five changes to the side that secured a bonus-point win away to Zebre last week.

Billy Holland returns to captain Munster with Chris Farrell back from international duty as Dan Goggin, Kevin O’Byrne and Stephen Archer also return to the starting XV.

Mike Haley starts at full-back with Calvin Nash and Darren Sweetnam completing the back three.

Craig Casey and JJ Hanrahan continue in the half-backs with a centre partnership of Goggin and Farrell.

James Cronin, O’Byrne and Archer pack down in the front row with Fineen Wycherley and Holland in the engine room.

A back row of Arno Botha, Chris Cloete and Academy man O’Sullivan complete the side.

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Chris Farrell, Dan Goggin, Darren Sweetnam; JJ Hanrahan, Craig Casey; James Cronin, Kevin O’Byrne, Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Billy Holland (C); Arno Botha, Chris Cloete, Jack O’Sullivan.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Nick McCarthy, Rory Scannell, Tommy O’Donnell.

Player News

Niall Scannell suffered a low grade knee injury against Zebre last week that has ruled him out of Saturday’s clash, the injury is expected to be a short-term one.

Shane Daly underwent a scan earlier this week that showed a low grade groin strain. The injury prevented him from training this week but he will be a travelling reserve on Saturday.

Jack O’Donoghue aggravated an existing neck issue at the end of last week that hadn’t settled sufficiently to allow him train fully this week and therefore was not considered for selection.