Stringer set for key role against Wasps

DROPPED by Ireland, Peter Stringer could be one of the key figures in Munster’s quest for victory over one of their greatest Heineken Cup rivals, London Wasps, in a pre-season friendly at Musgrave Park tomorrow night (7pm).

Stringer will be joined in the side by a newcomer, the South African prop BJ Botha and further experience comes in the form of Doug Howlett, Wian Du Preez and Lifeimi Mafi in what is generally a young team.

London Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young has named a 25-player squad.

It’s the second pre-season game for Wasps following last weekend’s first outing in Agen where ten players made their first ever appearances for the club.

Young said: “It will be good to get another game under our belts and give the team some more game-time together. We’ve analysed the game last weekend and there were plenty of positives to come out of it bearing in mind it was the first run out of the season.

“We are looking for improvement from that first effort and we’ve spent this week trying to iron out some of the things that didn’t go so well against Agen.

“We’ve added a few more options here and there to help continuously expand our game-plan and it’s another step up in the build-up for the start of the season.”

MUNSTER: S Deasy, D Howlett, D Barnes, L Mafi, S Zebo, D Cusack, P Stringer, W du Preez, M Sherry, B J Botha, B Holland, I Nagle, D O’Callaghan, P Butler, P O’Mahony.

Replacements from: D Fogarty, S Archer, M Horan, D Foley, T O’Donnell, J Coughlan, D Williams, T Gleeson, S Scanlon, JJ Hanrahan.

LONDON WASPS: Backs: A Cheesman, J Wallace, R Haughton, T Varndell, C Mayor, C Bell, C Wade, N Robinson, R Davis, J Holmes, N Berry, C Davies.

Forwards: J Castex, S McIntyre, B Baker, G Roan, B Broster, N Morris, T Lindsay, J Cannon, M Wentzel, R Birkett, S Jones, J Hart (captain), B Vunipola.