Munster expect tough opener against Blues

MUNSTER may be Heineken Cup champions but they won’t get anything soft in the Celtic League opener against Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park tomorrow night.

The visitors are one of the favourites to win the Magners sponsored league this season, but Cardiff will be firm favourites to win this opener.

The reason is simple; the Blues are pretty close to full strength, and are at home, while Munster can’t call on anything like a first choice side.

Munster coach Declan Kidney was happy with the display against Leicester in Cork on Friday. Never one to accept a loss, he did point to a decent display. “There is a difference between friendly and competitive matches; the young guys we have included for this weekend will have a much tougher task to face, but one has to look positively. They did extremely well against much more experienced opposition last week, and there’s no reason why they can’t do so again.”

Without the bulk of his experienced players, Kidney is hopeful that youngsters like Tom Gleeson, Ross Noonan and other rookies such as Brendan Cuttriss and James Coughlan can make the push to come through.

Munster will bring 24 players to Cardiff for tomorrow’s game. Eugene McGovern, Chris Delooze (injured) and Ciaran O’Boyle are out, but good news comes in the possible return from injury of Frankie Roche. There is more good news because Barry Murphy, who made a sensational debut in the centre last season, could be back in action with a month after sustaining a horrendous leg injury last season.

What might not be such good news is the strength of the Cardiff squad that includes Tom Shanklin in the reserves.

Roger Wilson is back in the starting line-up as Ulster start the defence of their Celtic League crown against Llanelli Scarlets at Ravenhill on Saturday (7.30).

The international number eight has finished a three-match suspension carried over from the Churchill Cup in North America where he was red-carded in Ireland A’s defeat against the New Zealand Maori.

New signings Brett Wilkinson and Adrian Flavin will make their competitive debuts for Connacht when Michael Bradley’s open their Magners League campaign away to Border Reivers tomorrow evening.

Prop Wilkinson, 22, who joined from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and 27-year-old hooker Flavin, who links up with Connacht from London Irish, will start.

Connacht’s new captain, Ireland A hooker John Fogarty, who is troubled by a minor back injury, is not being risked from the start and is included among the replacements.

CARDIFF: R. Williams, C Czekaj, J Robinson, M Stcherbina, M Luveitasau, N Robinson, M Phillips, G Jenkins, T Rhys Thomas, T Filise, D Jones, R Sidoli, S Morgan, M Williams, X Rush (C)

Replacements: J Yapp, G Williams, B Davies, R Sowden-Taylor, W Evans, N Macleod, T Shanklin

MUNSTER (from): Backs. C. Cullen, S. Payne, I. Dowling, J. Downey, J. Kelly (captain), M. Lawlor, T. Gleeson, E. Hickey, J. Manning, T. O’Leary, J. Hurley.

Forwards. F. Pucciariello, D. Hurley, T. Ryan, F. Sheahan, S. Cronin, F Sheahan, J Coughlan, J O’Sullivan, D Ryan. R Noonan, C. Wyatt, B Cuttriss, S O’Connor, AN Other

ULSTER: B Cunningham, M Bartholemeusz, P Steinmetz, P Wallace, A Maxwell, D Humphreys, K Campbell, J Fitzpatrick, P Shields, T Court, J Harrison (capt), T Barker, S Ferris, N McMillan, R Wilson.

Replacements: N Brady, D Fitzpatrick, M McCullough, K Dawson, P Marshall, K Maggs, S Young.

CONNACHT: M Mostyn; C McPhillips, P Warwick, G Williams, D Yapp; M McHugh, C Keane; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, S Knoop; D Gannon, A Farley; J Muldoon, M Lacey, C Rigney.

Replacements: J Fogarty, M Diffley, M Swift, B O’Connor, T Tierney, K Matthews, D Riordan.