Anthony Foley calls up the shock troops
Ireland captain Paul O’Connell, Munster’s skipper Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray have all been handed starts for this evening’s intriguing tie at BT Murrayfiled, Munster’s fourth last league game of the season.
Currently deadlocked with second placed Ulster on 58 points with the 12 games won each – only a two-point superior points’ difference gives Ulster the advantage – Munster desperately need a win from tonight’s game, with the two Irish provinces scheduled to meet in four weeks’ time.
In the five seasons since the league changed to semi-finals format no team has managed to win an away semi-final, and after losing at that stage in two of the last three seasons Munster know the importance of victory tonight.
A minimum of four points is required from this trip to the Scottish capital, but Alan Solomons’ Scottish outfit have troubled Munster in recent seasons.
As well as winning the league’s opener in September, Edinburgh defeated Munster in last season’s Heineken Cup, although the southern province hammered their hosts 55-12 in the most recent league meeting in Edinburgh.
With only three defeats to Edinburgh in the last ten meetings of the side, the odds favour a Munster victory, but Foley has warned his side to beware of the much improved Scots.
“I went over and looked at them in London Irish at the weekend and they were very impressive. They were very physical. It was a hard-fought game and they came out the other end of it,” said Foley.
“They have excellent half backs. You look at their wingers (Dougie) Fife and (Tim) Visser, (Greig) Tonks played full-back at the weekend, so they have a lot of ability and a lot of quality players. They’re well guided with Alan Solomons there and looked good in round one when they beat us in Thomond Park. They are a very physical side and they’ve done a number on us already this year. We need to make sure we’re properly prepared,” said Foley.
As predicted O’Connell, O’Mahony and Murray are parachuted straight back into the starting 15 for this evening’s game, while there are recalls for Dave Kilcoyne, Duncan Casey and BJ Botha in the front row. Donnacha Ryan is also passed fit after a concussion sustained against the Ulster Ravens, while James Cronin also returns to the replacements bench for the first time since a knee injury picked up in the Six Nations opener against Italy.
Andrew Smith retains his place alongside Denis Hurley in the centre, while Keith Earls, Simon Zebo and Felix Jones make up an exciting back three for Munster, who would be delighted to claim a second consecutive bonus point win to boost their play-off challenge. The new European qualification rules introduced for this season means that Edinburgh are engaged in a fierce battle with Connacht and Scarlets to claim the sixth automatic Champions Cup slot for the Pro12, and as a result Solomons has named a very strong side for the arrival of the double Heineken Cup winners.
Dougie Fife was a late withdrawal from last week’s Challenge Cup quarter-final win over London Irish but returns on the right wing, in an otherwise unchanged 15. Talented kicker Sam Hidalgo-Clyne debuted for Scotland in the Six Nations and will punish any infringement close to Munster territory, while flanker Hamish Watson is also capable of destruction at the breakdown – as Munster discovered earlier this season.
“Munster come to BT Murrayfield at full strength, well rested, on the back of a great Six Nations for Ireland and being out of Europe, they only have the Pro12 play-offs on their mind,” said former Ulster coach Solomons.
“So we are all fully aware of what Saturday brings. The players are looking forward to what will be a big match and know that only their best will do.”
G Tonks; D Fife, P Burleigh, A Strauss, T Visser; T Heathcote, S Hidalgo-Clyne; A Dickinson, R Ford, WP Nel; A Bresler, B Toolis; R Grant, H Watson, D Denton.
S McInally, G Shiells, J Andress, F McKenzie, T Leonardi. N Fowles, S Beard, T Brown.
F Jones; K Earls, A Smith, D Hurley, S Zebo; I Keatley, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, D Casey, BJ Botha; B Holland, P O’Connell; P O’Mahony, T O’Donnell, CJ Stander.
E Guinazu, J Cronin, S Archer, D Ryan, Dave O’Callaghan, D Williams, JJ Hanrahan, R O’Mahony.
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