McGahan expecting tough test for experimental Munster
McGahan named a largely experimental team but also includes some experienced players from the travelling party of 31 who have been involved in a training camp for the last three days.
The only thing he promises is Doug Howlett, new south African prop forward signing BJ Botha and Duncan Williams will not play any part in tonight’s game, apparently a 10,000 sell-out.
Williams is recovering from a groin strain and his absence on top of Tomás O’Leary and Conor Murray’s means Cork Constitution scrum-half Gerry Hurley will start alongside Garryowen’s Declan Cusack.
But as McGahan decides to hold Howlett and Botha back for another day, Munster have plenty of firepower to call from with Johne Murphy, Denis Hurley, Wian du Preez, James Coughlan, Billy Holland, Mick O’Driscoll, Danny Barnes, Scott Deasy, Simon Zebo, Stephen Archer and Dave O’Callaghan.
In the circumstances, they probably won’t quite know what to expect from a La Rochelle team in a transition. Still, La Rochelle, much like Munster, take huge pride in playing at home, though not with anything like the same success.
“They may now be back as a second division outfit but they have clear intentions on going back up the ladder as quickly as possible. They took on a lot of good teams at home last season and won quite a few. Additionally, they never lost badly when they did lose, so there is a clear pride issue there in playing at home.”
Meanwhile, Connacht have named six new caps in the team to meet Exeter Chiefs at Dubarry Park tomorrow (5.30pm).
J Murphy; D Hurley, D Barnes, S Deasy, S Zebo; D Cusack, G Hurley; W du Preez, D Varley, S Archer; B Holland, M O’Driscoll; D O’Callaghan, T O’Donnell, J Coughlan.
G Duffy, M McCrea, E Griffin, H Fa’Afili, B Tuohy, N O’Connor, P O’Donohue, D Rogers, E Reynecke, R Ah You, M Swift, D Nolan, TJ Anderson, G. Naoupu, J O’Connor.
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