Kidney recalls stars to slay Dragons

IN THE fall-out from Munster’s Heineken Cup defeat to Llanelli Scarlets, it was felt coach Declan Kidney would begin the process of rebuilding for next season by fielding emerging talent from the provincial academy in the remaining Magners Celtic League games.

However, Kidney has paid due respect to the club game by resisting the temptation to cherry-pick youngsters. With three Munster sides involved in the AIB League Division One play-offs today, and a smattering of those youngsters involved — Denis Hurley, Tom Gleeson and Ross Noonan (Cork Con), and Mark Melbourne, Conan Doyle and Gerry Hurley (Garryowen) — it was felt the academy players would be better served with their clubs this weekend.

Kidney has opted to pick the strongest side available to him and, on paper, Munster look far superior to a depleted Dragons side whose head coach Paul Turner has made eight changes following the Welsh region’s 46-29 loss to Clermont Auvergne in last weekend’s European Challenge Cup semi-final.

Wales internationals Kevin Morgan, Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Cooper and Ian Gough are amongst the replacements, though Turner is undecided on whether Sweeney, Morgan or Gareth Wyatt will be at out-half.

The symbiotic relationship that exists between this Munster squad and their loyal supporters was reinforced in the Reds’ last Magners League tie, when 6,500 turned up at Musgrave Park to watch the home side beat their European conquerors 20-0.

“You want to try to win every game no matter what part of the season it is,” says Kidney. “We got a great turnout for the Llanelli game, and we certainly owe it everybody to give this league our best shot from now to the finish.”

A surprise inclusion on the Munster side is Christian Cullen. The former All Black, whose agent intimated recently that he could retire at the end of the season, was left out of both 22-man squads for Munster’s last two league games. Mossy Lawlor was preferred at full back but the Shannon man drops to the bench for this evening’s tussle.

It was also felt that those likely to figure on Ireland’s starting XV when the World Cup begins in France in September — John Hayes, Marcus Horan, Donncha O’Callaghan and Ronan O’Gara — would be rested for Munster’s remaining Magners League games, but the quartet will be put through the mill again tonight.

O’Gara is twinned with Tomas O’Leary at half-back and the latter can only benefit with another 80 minutes beside one of the world’s most accomplished number 10s. Eddie O’Sullivan’s star back-row forwards, Denis Leamy and David Wallace may also appear tonight, as they’re named among the replacements.

Rugby league recruit Brian Carney starts his fourth Magners League tie. The Cork man has made a telling contribution since his high profile transfer last month, scoring tries against Ulster and Ospreys, and providing an acrobatic try-scoring pass for Barry Murphy’s five-pointer against Scarlets.

“His professionalism is a credit to him,” says Kidney. “He is always willing to learn, but at the same time if he has an idea, he puts it up on the table and everyone is benefiting from that.”

MUNSTER: C Cullen; I Dowling, B Murphy, L Mafi, B Carney; R O’Gara, T O’Leary; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll; A Quinlan, J O’Sullivan, A Foley (c).

Replacements: D Fogarty, F Pucciarriello, D Wallace, D Leamy, B O’Meara, J Manning, M Lawlor.

DRAGONS: M Thomas; R Fussell, P Emerick, P Dollman, A Brew; A Thomas, A Walker; A Black, B Daly, R Thomas, A Hall, P Sidoli, J Bearman, J Ringer, M Owen (c).

Replacements: S Jones, J Corsi, D Maddocks, I Gough, L Charteris, from C Sweeney, K Morgan, G Wyatt, G Cooper.

Referee: A Macpherson (SRU).