Vandals force Munster’s move to Cork

MUNSTER’S Celtic League clash with Llannelli, fixed for Thomond Park on September 23, will be moved to Cork as the Limerick venue has been deemed unplayable for at least a month after 3000 sods of turf were dug up by vandals.

The IRFU has announced that the venue will be closed until October 22, forcing a number of games to be transferred, amongst them the game with the Scarlets.

Fortunately, that is the only Munster game to be affected. After the game with Llannelli next week, they are then away to Connacht on October 1. Meeting Leinster in Cork on October 9, they’re free on October 15/16 and are away to Cardiff Blues the following weekend.

Having been drawn away to Sale for the first round of the Heineken Cup on October 22, the pitch will be ready for the visit of Castres the following weekend.

A full assessment of the damage is being undertaken, but the IRFU and Munster Branch have expressed their total disbelief and condemnation of this random act of vandalism.

Meanwhile, Reggie Corrigan makes a seasonal debut for Leinster against the Gwent Dragons at Donnybrook this evening. The near-veteran Irish international has recovered from injury to link up with Bernard Jackman and Will Green in an experienced front row.

Leinster will be seeking their second win of the tournament, with a previous victory over Glasgow (26-21) last weekend. Leinster lost the opening fixture (20-22) to the Ospreys.

Skipper Felipe Contepomi (in the absence of the injured Brian O’Driscoll) lines up at centre again with Kieran Lewis.

Irish internationals Denis Hickie and Shane Horgan have been named amongst a strong replacements bench, which includes Ronan McCormack, David Blaney, Simon Crawford, Niall Ronan and Brian O’Meara.

The Dragons, who lost to Ospreys in midweek, have made several changes, most of them in the pack, for the visit to Dublin. Paul Turner has torn the forward section apart, but he has also introduced Sione Tuipulotu and Leigh Hinton to the back division in a bid to provide a bit more physical punch.

The Munster team to meet Glasgow at Hughenden will be finalised today, after a captain’s training run in Limerick. Glasgow will also name their side today.

Like Leinster, to whom Shane Horgan and Denis Hickie have been released by the national squad, it is expected that Munster’s Ronan O’Gara and Donncha O’Callaghan will play a part in the game.

But, like Leinster, it seems certain that they will be introduced at some stage of the match from the bench.

In that event, Paul Burke will again start at number 10 and O’Callaghan will have to wait his turn to take over from either Trevor Hogan or Mick O’Driscoll, both of whom are expected to be named in the starting line up.

LEINSTER: G. Dempsey, G. Brown, K. Lewis, F. Contepomi (captain), R. Kearney, C. Warner, G. Easterby, R. Corrigan, B. Jackman, W. Green, A. Byrnes, B. Gissing, C. Potts, J. Heaslip, K. Gleeson.

Replacements: R. McCormack, D. Blaney, S. Crawford, N. Ronan, B. O’Meara, S. Horgan, D. Hickie.

NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: K. Morgan, G. Wyatt, H. Luscombe, S. Tuipulotu, L. Hinton, C. Warlow, G. Baber, D. Maddocks, S. Jones, R. Thomas, I. Gough, L. Charteris, A. Hall, R. Oakley, J. Ringer.

Replacements: A. Brown, A. Black, G. Robinson, J. Forster, R. Bryan, J. Bryant, A. Thomas.