Munster flyer Murphy makes welcome return
Murphy’s heroics at Thomond Park against Sale Sharks last year spurred Munster to the knockout stages and their ultimate success in Europe.
He suffered an horrendous leg break against Ulster afterwards, but is now named in the starting team for tonight’s Magners League clash with Edinburgh at Thomond Park (7.30).
It’s all surely with a view to starting him in the Heineken Cup clash with Leicester at Welford Road on Sunday week.
With Christian Cullen injured again, Kidney is clearly relieved that Murphy is ready to resume, following his return as a replacement against Leinster last week.
Also returning from injury is Shaun Payne, while Denis Leamy retains the number six shirt, having come on as a ninth-minute replacement for Alan Quinlan in that Leinster game.
John Hayes makes his first appearance of the season in a Munster matchday squad; good news for the coach.
Kidney will wait until before kick-off to decide on the back replacements with four players, Brian O’Meara, John Kelly, Eoghan Hickey and newcomer Diogo Mateus (Portugal) fighting for three back replacement berths.
O’Meara, as scrum half, is a certainty; Hickey is needed as an out half replacement, and Mateus, coming into the scene, has to be given an opportunity.
It appears certain that Kidney will exclude one of his most valued players, Kelly, in the interest of finding out if the Portuguese centre is up to the task.
Quinlan’s training was restricted this week and so Leamy is retained in the starting XV, with a decision to be made on the replacement flanker. It will be Quinlan or Tim McGann, Munster’s recent signing from Australia.
The importance of a Magners League win to rekindle Munster’s hope of a good campaign cannot be underestimated, but more pressing is the psychological boost that would go with that.
Last week, following Munster’s defeat to Leinster, new captain Paul O’Connell made it clear that the next two results (against Edinburgh and Leicester) could be defining moments in the season.
O’Connell admitted; “the next two games are of huge importance to us; I can’t say how important.”
In terms of the Magners League, a title Munster chased for so long last season, the Heineken Cup champions haven’t enjoyed a good start with just two wins from five games.
In relation to this weekend, Kidney insisted victory was more than just important: “It goes without saying that to have any hope of doing well, those home results are vital. After last week’s result, it’s important that we pick ourselves up as soon as possible.”
But Kidney doesn’t expect any favours from the Scottish side, admitting: “We certainly don’t expect Edinburgh to help us in that. Games between us have always been very close in the past and, under their new coach Lynn Howells, they are going really well. They have 12 internationals in their squad; they’re in fourth place in the League table on the same points as Leinster (in third), so I think that says it all about the task we face.”
Howells, has made four changes to the side which beat Glasgow.
The highly promising Alan MacDonald will make his first appearance of the season after being selected at open side flanker; Hugo Southwell returns at full-back; David Callam comes in for the injured Allister Hogg, and Matt Mustchin (the former Ulster player) is restored to the second row.
S. Payne, T. O’Leary, B. Murphy, T. Halstead, I.l Dowling, R. O’Gara, P. Stringer, M. Horan, F. Sheahan, F. Pucciariello, D. O’Callaghan, P. O’Connell (captain), D. Leamy, A. Foley, D. Wallace.
A. Kyriacou, J. Hayes, M. O’Driscoll, A. Quinlan/T. McGann, B. O’Meara, J. Kelly/E. Hickey/D. Mateus
H. Southwell, C. Paterson (captain), M. di Rollo, R. Dewey, S. Webster, P. Godman, M. Blair, A. Jacobsen, D. Hall, A. Dickinson, M. Mustchin, S. Murray, A. Strokosch, D. Callam, A. MacDonald.
A Kelly, C Smith, D Hewett, F Pringle, G Laidlaw, S Cross, D Hodge.
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