Pucciariello returns to drive Munster front row
His recall entitles Marcus Horan to a well earned rest, all the more so because his wife, Kate, this week gave birth to a daughter, Heather, the couple’s first child.
Horan starts on the bench where he is joined by Niall Ronan who takes over from James Coughlan.
Said coach Declan Kidney: “Marcus played the entire game on Saturday and we think it prudent to make the change. Niall was originally selected on the bench for the Leinster game but had to withdraw through injury. He’s fit again and given the conditions we expect, and with Donnacha Ryan for cover at 6 and 8, Niall gives us that bit of balance.”
The Scarlets, have made six changes including the return of Stephen Jones at out-half after missing the first tie with a neck injury. They are travelling intent on rectifying a run that has them pointless after three matches.
The return of Jones will make them an even more formidable force admitted Kidney. “Stephen Jones is one of the best out-halves in the world but if you go out to try and look after him, you’re opening the doors for others around him,” he reasons.
“Dwayne Peel, Regan King, Morgan Stoddart at full-back has been going well — and that’s just their back line. The pack gave us a bit of a doing over as well last year and they’ll want to do the same on Sunday.”
Kidney also insisted talk of a bonus point would be “disrespectful” to Llanelli. To many people, this may sound like the epitome of Kidney-speak but in all probability he has every good reason to sound a warning note about this particular game. Many Munster fans seem to believe that winning the first leg away from home makes the return at Thomond Park a formality. However, you only have to take note of the words of coach, Phil Davies and captain Simon Easterby to realise the Scarlets really mean business.
“We’re not going to lie down and make it easy for anyone,” said Davies. “There are fine margins in these games and I believe we are moving in the right direction. It’s a great challenge to play back to back games against such a great team, we did it last year against Toulouse, we’ve got to do it this year against Munster.”
Having seen the state of Easterby’s eye after last week’s game during which he had to leave the pitch on two occasions, I believed the Scarlets would rest him for Thomond Park. However, he will lead them into battle, a decision that perfectly underlines just how intent Easterby and the team are on a meaningful performance.
“This is the ideal time to go to Munster and play in a real hostile atmosphere and come away with a result,” said Easterby.
It could be argued that when they weren’t good enough at Stradey while still in contention to win the group, the Scarlets will hardly measure up in Thomond.
Perhaps, but to my mind that is to overlook the fact that the first Munster try in Wales should not have been awarded and had a huge influence on the outcome of the game. Then you had the vile conditions. No team should be judged, let alone written off, on the evidence of such a game.
The likelihood is that Ronan O’Gara will need to be as sharp with his place kicking and his general play as he was a week ago and that forwards like Denis Leamy, David Wallace and Donncha O’Callaghan will have to maintain the level of improvement on recent form that they exhibited at Stradey.
Anthony Foley, as ever, will revel in the Thomond Park atmosphere. And if, as many suspect, the
Scarlets defence is just a little on the porous side, then the occasion could be made for the Kiwi centres Rua Tipoki and Lifeimi Mafi.
Home advantage combined with the confidence derived from last week’s victory could swing it in Munster’s favour.
But anyone believing that this is a done deal and has invested accordingly may be feeling pretty sick around 3pm tomorrow afternoon.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
