de Allende and Snyman start for Munster

Inside centre de Allende has been picked in an exciting backline anchored by Conor Murray and JJ Hanrahan as Munster attempt to close in on top spot in Conference B with two games remaining before the play-offs

World Cup winners Damian de Allende and RG Snyman will make their Munster debuts against Leinster on Saturday when the Guinness PRO14 resumes on Irish soil at Aviva Stadium.

The South African pair, both of whom played in the Springboks’ World Cup final win over England in Japan last November, joined from Japanese clubs in the summer and will be unleashed by head coach Johann van Graan at the first opportunity for Munster’s first game in six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Inside centre de Allende has been picked in an exciting backline anchored by Conor Murray and JJ Hanrahan as Munster attempt to close in on top spot in Conference B with two games remaining before the play-offs. They need to at least hang onto second spot and will restart the 2019-20 campaign eight points clear of third-place Scarlets.

The side van Graan picked on Friday is a statement of intent as de Allende partners Chris Farrell in midfield with a back three of Ireland wings Keith Earls and Andrew Conway alongside exciting full-back Shane Daly, who will make his fifth start at number 15 in his 18th Munster appearance.

Giant lock Snyman starts in the second row alongside Billy Holland in a pack featuring a surprise start for loosehead prop James Cronin, who served a one-month ban during lockdown for a doping violation following a dispensing error.

Regular starter Dave Kilcoyne, who suffered a calf injury during the hiatus must be content with a place on the bench as Cronin partners Niall Scannell and Stephen Archer in the starting front row.

Munster captain Peter O’Mahony leads a back row also comprising openside flanker Tommy O’Donnell and CJ Stander at No.8.

Lock Jean Kleyn and centre Rory Scannell, both of whom make way for the incoming Boks, are named on the bench, also occupied by another new signing in former Saracens full-back Matt Gallagher.

Craig Casey gets the nod as back-up scrum-half with Rory Scannell offering cover at fly-half and centre in the extended absence of playmaker Joey Carbery.

“It was a real squad effort the last nine weeks, everyone gave it their all,” van Graan said. “Unfortunately, we can only pick 23 players. There were a lot of close calls and that just shows the depth that we’ve created.

“With such a long season coming up, everybody wants to play the first game but there’s a lot of rugby to be played. We said all along that getting back to playing rugby on Saturday night is our sole objective.”

Munster experienced the first positive Covid test in Irish Rugby last week when an academy player became a confirmed case and six other players were asked to self-isolate as a precaution, four of them subsequently confirmed as close contacts and van Graan added: “A few of the guys in isolation were very close to getting into the team and they worked really hard but  the fact they were in self-isolation ruled them out.

“They are training away at home and as soon as they come out of self-isolation, they will be available for selection again.”

MUNSTER: S Daly; A Conway, C Farrell, D de Allende, K Earls; JJ Hanrahan, C Murray; J Cronin, N Scannell, S Archer; RG Snyman, B Holland; P O’Mahony - captain, T O’Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: R Marshall, D Kilcoyne, J Ryan, J Kleyn, C Cloete, C Casey, R Scannell, M Gallagher.