Payne in for Staunton
Shaun Payne takes over at full-back in one of three changes, one positional, on the side to take on Connacht in the Celtic League at Dubarry Park, Athlone, this evening, kick-off 7pm.
Payne filled in for the injured Anthony Horgan on the left wing in the recent Heineken Cup matches against Bourgoin and Treviso. Horgan has now recovered from his hamstring trouble and coach Alan Gaffney has kept faith with Payne by moving him to full-back, It’s a bad blow for Staunton who was already under pressure after the signing of Kiwi, Christian Cullen, recovering from a shoulder injury. The other change from the side that defeated Treviso is at tight head prop where Scottish international Gordon McIlwham is called up in place of John Hayes, still bothered by the calf muscle injury picked up in the game against the Italians. Hayes is likely to be fully fit for next week’s Heineken Cup clash at Gloucester. Tonight’s teams find themselves in mid-table in the Celtic League and even with 13 rounds to go, need to win most of their remaining matches to claim the title. Connacht will be all out to achieve what would be regarded as a major result for the Cinderella province and Munster anxious to regain the level of performance that saw them to impressive pre-Christmas wins over Cardiff, Bourgoin and Treviso.
