Foley will be a hard act to follow, says new captain O’Connell

NEW Munster captain Paul O’Connell knows he has a tough act to follow.

O’Connell has described getting the captaincy as a huge honour. Anthony Foley, who was skipper for two seasons, will assume the role of joint vice-captain with Ronan O’Gara.

“To follow in the footsteps of Anthony, Jim Williams and Mick Galwey before him has to be a massive honour. All of them have been outstanding captains, big thinkers on the game, and each of them have made a huge contribution to Munster rugby” he said.

“By and large, this team looks after itself; there are any number of guys who could slot in and captain the team. Even better, there are young guys coming through to step up to the mark.

“We need that to happen, because every team we play these days wants to beat us. That’s a good thing to keep us focused, and we will always stay focused.”

Munster will wait until tomorrow to announce their side to play Ulster in the Magners League on Saturday at Musgrave Park (7.30pm).

Internationals Marcus Horan, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, David Wallace, Ronan O’Gara and Peter Stringer returned to squad training yesterday in Cork, but coach Declan Kidney will wait until after today’s A Interprovincial against Ulster (Musgrave Park 1.30pm) before finalising his side for Saturday.

John Hayes (ankle) and Denis Leamy (hamstring) are still unavailable for Saturday, and the focus this week is on the young players in the province.

Munster A can call on experienced players like Brian O’Meara today but coach Declan Kidney has gone for development, academy or club players with the capacity to make the grade.

Some of them have already lined out with Munster in the Magners League campaign — Tim Ryan, Brendan Cutriss, James Coughlan, Tom Gleeson and Denis Hurley.

With the four Welsh regions in Anglo-Welsh Cup action this weekend there are only three Magners League games in round five — but local bragging rights are at stake in all three.

In Scotland, Glasgow Warriors travel to Edinburgh Gunners for what the home team has billed the Battle of the Bravehearts. The Gunners have won their last three league games, which has lifted them to fourth, and a fourth straight win could take them into second. The Warriors have had a shaky start to the season, with only one win, and will be looking for their first victory in the capital since 2000 to kick start their season.

Leinster go to the Galway Sportsground to meet Connacht on Friday night. Leinster may have won their last four against the westerners but are five points behind their hosts.

MUNSTER A (from): D. Hurley, P. Owens, T. Gleeson, T. Taipei, C. O’Boyle, M. Lawlor, I. Hanley, E. Hickey, J. Hurley, B. O’Meara, F. Roche, T. Buckley, T. Ryan, A. Kyriacou, M. Essex, S. O’Connor, D. Ryan, M. Melbourne, J. O’Sullivan, B. Cutriss, J. Coughlan, B. Holland.

ULSTER A: Ulster A: M. Kettle, P. McKenzie, S. Young, S. Megaw, M. Pehi, A. Larkin (captain), P. Marshall, N. Conlon, N. Brady, T. Court, D. Houston, L. Stevenson, T. Anderson, C. McCarey, C. Henry.

Replacements: J-M Steenkamp, S. Philpott, N. Simpson, M. Wilson, D. Drake, N. O’Connor, J. Smith.