Kidney wants a stronger effort

WITH new Australian signing Tim McGann making his debut, Declan Kidney is looking for a stronger effort from his Munster charges when they take on Border Reivers in the Magners Celtic League at Thomond Park tonight (7.30).

Even though Kidney acknowledges the absence of several regulars, he wants Munster to be able to compete at this level with the players available.

In one sense he is happy that Munster had a reasonable start, even though they lost to Cardiff Blues in the opening game of the campaign last week. But he wants more.

“A few players made their league debuts and we have to recognise that players need time to adjust to the pressure. This week will be different; we’re at home, and we need to apply ourselves and demand that we win our home matches for starters,” said Kidney.

On top of all the missing internationals, the coach was forced to name a team without the services of Christian Cullen and Ian Dowling, both short-term injury victims.

Cullen’s absence allows Shaun Payne revert to the full-back role, while Tom Gleeson and Ciarán O’Boyle fight it out for one of the wing positions. Mossie Lawlor is recalled.

Kidney, working without many of the top players, is happy with the job done over the last few weeks by stand-in skipper John Kelly. “I think he has been brilliant. He has taken to the job, embraced it, and he’s very popular with the rest of the players,” said Kidney.

Meanwhile, the winner of last season’s Scottish Rugby Try of the Year Award, Mark Robertson, gets his first taste of professional rugby after being called in by Border Reivers head coach Steve Bates.

The National Academy (Borders) winger, who plays his club rugby with Melrose, scored the scintillating try in the first club international between Scotland and Ireland back in March.

Said Reivers head coach Steve Bates: “It’s going to be a big step up for Mark playing away to a team like Munster but it’s great to see exciting young Scottish players like Mark compete against one of the biggest teams in Europe.”

Another in line for a first starting game with Reivers is 23-year-old stand-off Steve Jones, who succeeds Scotland’s most capped player Gregor Townsend in the number 10 shirt.

The Scotland U21 and former rugby league player came on during the game against Connacht last Friday and Bates has already been impressed with his contribution: “Steve Jones has a good rugby background and he has done really well in pre-season. I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can do against opponents of Munster’s calibre.”

Looking back on his selection Bates added: “The squad have all played well during the summer. We are still unsure about one or two players’ positions in the back division so I think the changes made from last week reflect that.”

MUNSTER: S. Payne, T. Gleeson/C. O’Boyle, J. Kelly (captain), J. Downey, M. Lawlor, J. Menning, T. O’Leary, D. Hurley, F. Sheahan, F. Pucciariello, C. Wyatt, D. Ryan, J. O’Sullivan, J. Coughlan, T. McGann.

Replacements: T. Ryan, A Keryako, S. O’Connor, B. Cutriss, J. Hurley, E. Hickey, Gleeson/Hurley.

BORDER REIVERS: C. MacRae, G. Law, N. De Luca, B. MacDougall, M. Robertson, S. Jones, C. Cusiter (captain), G. Kerr, R. Ford, B. Douglas, O. Palepoi, S. Grimes, S. Gray, R. Beattie, K. Brown.

Replacements: S. Scott, E. Kalman, C. Hamilton, J. Dalziel, B. McKerchar, G. Townsend, A. Miller.