Tadhg Beirne’s first start as Munster ready for battle with Warriors
Johann van Graan knew last season that he needed to bolster his squad during the summer and this evening Tadhg Beirne’s expected debut in Glasgow, a week after his other big Irish signing Joey Carbery made his bow, is undoubtedly another significant development.
But perhaps equally significant as van Graan tries to guide Munster towards their first silverware since 2011, is the capturing of No 8 Arno Botha on a one-year deal. Van Graan is knows the qualities of the 26-year-old, having worked with him with the Bulls and South Africa.
Botha spent the second-half of last season with London Irish and van Graan wasted little time in bringing the twice-capped Springbok to Munster, especially as he will be without Peter O’Mahony and CJ Stander for long periods of the season.
That was one of reasons we signed a quality loose forward because your success sometimes in one position makes you quite thin,” said van Graan.
“Most of the time, with two internationals in those positions and both nationally contracted, you lose them. And then if we pick up injuries — currently Conor Oliver is out, Jack O’Donoghue is out, Chris Cloete is out — you are really thin in a position.
“Arno has that experience and he brings certain traits that gives a lot of balance to our loose trio.”
Botha starts again at No 8 in a side which shows just one change as Munster bid to avenge last year’s 37-10 loss in Scotstoun.
It’s a fixture they have enjoyed mixed fortunes in, with seven wins, six losses and a draw so far on their league trips to Glasgow.
The starting team shows just one change from that which started the season with a first clean sheet on opening day when they hammered the Cheetahs 38-0.
Sammy Arnold comes into the centre in place of Dan Goggin, who left the field against the Cheetahs after a head injury.
Neil Cronin, who impressed in his first start for Munster at the weekend, is retained at scrum-half where he will again be partnered by JJ Hanrahan.
Beirne is named in a strong replacements bench which also includes Carbery.
And South African centre Jaco Taute, coming back after being out injured for almost a year, is also on the bench.
Van Graan is hoping Munster improve their away form this season but they will face a tough test against a Glasgow side who came from behind to pip Connacht 27-26 in Galway last weekend.
“I’ve watched the Connacht-Glasgow game and it’s was pretty tight at the end,” said van Graan.
“Quality sides, most of the time, find ways to win and I thought they’ve done pretty well in the preseason games.
“They are one of the teams in Europe that I rate, a very good coach and very much in touch with the way want to play.
You know what’s coming from their side, a settled side. I wasn’t involved in the away again last year when Glasgow got a big result and then we got it we got a big result in Cork. Two quality teams having a go at each other in round two.
“These are the games you look forward to. It’s our first away game of the season as well and we said we wanted to improve our away form this season but this will be a pretty big challenge,” he added.
Glasgow opened their account with a 27-26 win over Connacht in Galway, coming from nine points down with a man in the bin to snatch a final quarter win.
Coach Dave Rennie has made two changes with Fraser Brown and Adam Ashe coming in up front.
Place-kicker Peter Horne continues in the centre with his younger brother George at out-half but once again a lot will depend on the influence of full-back Stuart Hogg who master-minded the win over Connacht.
S Hogg; T Seymour, N Grigg, P Horne, DTH van der Merwe; A Hastings, G Horne; O Kebble, F Brown, Z Fagerson; R Harley, J Gray; R Wilson, C Gibbins, A Ashe.
G Turner, J Bhatti, D Rea, S Cummings, M Fagerson, A Price, A Dunbar, N Matawalu.
M Haley; D Sweetnam, S Arnold, R Scannell, S Daly; JJ Hanrahan, N Cronin; D Kilcoyne, M Sherry, J Ryan; J Kleyn, B Holland (captain); D O’Callaghan, T O’Donnell, A Botha.
R Marshall, J Cronin, S Archer, F Wycherley, T Beirne, D Williams, J Carbery, J Taute.
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