Hurley in against Blues, Kelly, Murphy also back

DARRAGH HURLEY is in the Munster team for today’s Heineken Cup clash with Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park (5.35pm, Sky Sports).

The 21-year-old prop is one of three changes made by the coach Declan Kidney from the team that started the game against the Blues in Cardiff last week.

Hurley takes over from Federico Pucciariello, while John Kelly and Barry Murphy return to the side after recovering from injury. They replace Tomas O’Leary and Lifeimi Mafi respectively, both of whom will join Pucciariello in the list of replacements.

The return of first-choice players Kelly and Murphy is no surprise, but O’Leary will be deemed unlucky after filling in with such success on Sunday last.

Pucciariello was ill after that game; he delayed his trip home until Monday to allow himself to be checked out in a Cardiff hospital, and only trained for the first time on Thursday.

The Cardiff coach, Dai Young has selected a team that shows four changes from last week’s 12-22 defeat.

Two of the changes — the introduction of Tom James on the wing and Nick MacLeod at out half — are tactical, as is the switching of Tom Shanklin to the centre.

Two more were forced upon Young. Bradley David replaces James Goode (ankle injury) in the second row and John Yapp comes in for Gethin Jenkins (calf strain) at loose head prop.

Nick MacLeod, who has had to play second fiddle recently to young Nick Robinson at out half, finally gets his opportunity. Robinson, though a highly rated youngster, played poorly last week and Young will expect considerably more from utility back MacLeod.

Shanklin is brought from the wing to partner Jamie Robinson and the thinking behind that is simple — to give hard running Shanklin more opportunity to attack. He saw little of the ball from the number 14 position last week and can be expected to provide considerably more trouble to Munster this week. His move paves the way for Tom James to come in, and Marc Stcherbina is demoted to the reserves.

Although calf injuries are notoriously troublesome, Jenkins’ absence is expected by Young to be a short one. “It’s a precautionary move more than anything. We expect to have him back for the next match — a Magners League game against the Ospreys,” he said.