John Ryan out of Northampton Saints clash as Munster's appeal fails 

BAN UPHELD: Munster's John Ryan during the warm-up. Pic: Ben Brady, Inpho

John Ryan’s appeal against a three-match suspension has been dismissed by an independent disciplinary panel, with Munster instead turning to academy prop Mark Donnelly as tighthead replacement for Sunday’s Champions Cup Round of 16 clash at Northampton Saints.

Ryan on Thursday had seen the yellow card he was punished with for a tip tackle against Cardiff captain Liam Belcher last Saturday upgraded to a red card having been cited post-match, with the three-game ban ruling him out of the European knockout trip to the English Premiership leaders.

Yet the veteran tighthead was named on Munster’s bench at noon on Friday, pending the outcome of an appeal, which has now failed.

Stephen Archer, 36, will start in the number three jersey at Franklin’s Gardens, and with fellow senior tightheads Oli Jager and Roman Salanoa sidelined by injury, head coach Graham Rowntree has turned to academy prop Donnelly as his replacement in the position.

Corkman Donnelly, 23, who will move up from the academy to a senior contract next season, has made eight appearances off the bench having made his first-team debut at Wasps in a Covid-disrupted pool match in December 2021.

He has made two appearances this season, against Dragons and Benetton, and all of his Munster caps have been as a loosehead prop although he did feature at tighthead during Ireland’s Under-20 Six Nations campaign of 2021.

Rowntree earlier announced two changes to his starting line-up with RG Snyman recovering from illness to regain his place in the second row alongside matchday captain Tadhg Beirne while Simon Zebo, a replacement against Cardiff last weekend, switches places with Sean O’Brien for a start on the right wing.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: J Ramm; T Freeman, F Dingwall, B Odendaal, O Sleightholme; F Smith, T James; E Iyogun, C Langdon, T Davison; A Moon, A Coles; C Lawes, L Ludlam – captain, S Graham.

Replacements: S Matavesi, A Waller, P Hill, T Mayanavanua, A Scott-Young, J Augustus, A Mitchell, G Hendy.

MUNSTER: M Haley; S Zebo, A Frisch, A Nankivell, S Daly; J Crowley, C Casey; J Loughman, N Scannell, S Archer; T Beirne – captain, RG Snyman; P O’Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes.

Replacements: E Clarke, J Wycherley, M Donnelly, T Ahern, A Kendellen, C Murray, J Carbery, S O’Brien.

REFEREE: Mike Adamson (Scotland)