Horgan in Munster squad
It includes Anthony Horgan, who missed last week’s win over Bourgoin because of a hamstring strain. It’s unlikely Gaffney will risk him but it is encouraging Horgan is so close to fitness once again. Mossy Lawlor and Rob Henderson, both replacements against Bourgoin, are in the squad and clearly close to starting places. The main decisions concern the full-back and first centre positions; the pack, which performed so well last week, should certainly be retained. Treviso, who arrive in Limerick this evening, also have a big pack Gaffney sees them as “a mauling” side although they will get the ball wide from time to time.
“They’ve got Franco Smith, a South African international who has played for the Blue Bulls in the Super 12s at out-half. I also know Brendan Williams who played for Randwick in Sydney. We used to call him the Little Dingo. He’s a nippy little fellow. He used to claim to be Jimmy Williams’s brother.
“Now, they are the same colour and have the same aboriginal heritage but one is about 3ft 7in and the other is around 6ft 5in, so he doesn’t get away with that. But he’s a good player and Treviso have a good squad. They like to play the game direct and we know what to expect of them. We’ve sent parties over to see two of their games, Brian Hickey, has been over, also George Murray, our video man, Killian Keane, and they came back with plenty of data. Treviso are coached by Craig Green, a member of the All Blacks World Cup winning team in the inaugural year of 1987. He won 20 New Zealand caps in a glittering career before moving to Italy where he played for Treviso before returning to New Zealand for a couple of years. He then came back to Italy where he coached Calvisano, the country’s other Heineken Cup side, and then Treviso for the past couple of years.
“Our team will be very much on the same lines as the Gloucester game last week,” he says.
“If anything, it will look stronger on paper with our captain and scrum-half, Alessandro Troncon and Manuel Dallan, both of whom started on the bench, in from the start. We know all about the tradition of Thomond Park and Munster and that we have a bit of a mountain to climb. But a lot of our side were there for the World Cup warm-up match in September and have a point to prove so we’re very much looking forward to the game.”
Treviso have 33 full-time professionals on their books. 16 have played for Italy while Franco Smith is an experienced Springbok and flanker Jaco Erasmus has played Super 12s in South Africa. Their 80 times capped second-row, Carlo Checcinato, has the well being of Italian rugby firmly imbued in his 6 ft 5 in, 17st 2lb frame and believes the Heineken Cup has a huge role in developing the game in his country.
“It is the way forward for Italian rugby and it’s great to be in the competition,” he says. “The higher the level we are involved in, the better it is for us. We had a chance of beating Gloucester and failed to take it and now a visit to Munster is a big ask. Munster did themselves a huge favour by winning in Bourgoin. It is never easy to win in France and as the Munster players make up a big body of the Irish team, we know how strong they are. We will go over there and get stuck in. Every pool is tough and with Munster and Gloucester in there with us, there is no let-up.”
MUNSTER squad v Benetton Treviso: J Staunton, J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, S Payne, R O'Gara, P Stringer, M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes, P O'Connell, D O'Callaghan, J Williams, D Wallace, A Foley, G Mc Ilwham, J Blaney, S Keogh, D Pusey, E Reddan, R Henderson, M Lawlor, A Horgan, E Halvey, C Mcmahon.
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