Alex Nankivell passed fit to start Munster’s URC semi-final against Glasgow Warriors

Former Maori All Black centre Nankivell was sidelined for the end of the regular season and also the quarter-final win over Ospreys at Thomond Park last Friday having sustained an ankle injury at Edinburgh.

TEAM SHEET: Munster head coach Graham Rowntree. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady

Alex Nankivell has passed fit to return to the Munster midfield for Saturday’s URC home semi-final against Glasgow Warriors while the defending champions have opted for a powerhouse bench line-up to effect a return to Grand Final.

Former Maori All Black centre Nankivell was sidelined for the end of the regular season and also the quarter-final win over Ospreys at Thomond Park last Friday having sustained an ankle injury in the penultimate round of league action at Edinburgh on May 17.

Munster medical staff had been monitoring the New Zealander’s return to full training this week and head coach Graham Rowntree had reported Nankivell had been going well in the on-field sessions but a decision on his availability to face Glasgow was not made until after training on Thursday.

Nankivell, named in the URC Elite XV for the season alongside captain and lock Tadhg Beirne and fly-half Jack Crowley, is one of four changes from the starting line-up which began the 23-7 win over Ospreys as Munster bid to make back-to-back finals, this time as top seeds against the fourth-seeded Warriors.

Mike Haley comes in at full-back as Simon Zebo switches to the left wing and URC Ironman award winner Shane Daly moves across to the right to cover the absence of the injured Calvin Nash.

Nankivell comes in at inside centre to reunite with regular midfield partner Antoine Frisch as Sean O’Brien moves to the bench while Crowley continues his half-back partnership with scrum-half Craig Casey.

Fineen Wycherley comes into the second row alongside Beirne as RG Snyman moves to the replacements, as does Gavin Coombes, replaced at No.8 by Jack O’Donoguhe.

Snyman and Coombes are two of six forwards on the Munster bench alongside front rowers Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan and Oli Jager, and back-rower Alex Kendellen, with scrum-half Conor Murray and O’Brien covering a versatile on-field backline.

Munster on Friday morning reported ticket sales had passed the 18,500 mark for Saturday night’s 6pm kick-off. They will welcome a Glasgow side coached by Franco Smith which won 38-26 on their last visit to Thomond Park in March 2023 and who are unchanged from their 27-10 quarter-final victory over the Stormers at Scotstoun last Saturday.

MUNSTER: M Haley; S Daly, A Frisch, A Nankivell, S Zebo; J Crowley, C Casey; J Loughman, N Scannell, S Archer; F Wycherley, T Beirne - captain; P O’Mahony, J Hodnett, J O’Donoghue.

Replacements: D Barron, J Ryan, O Jager, RG Snyman, G Coombes, C Murray, S O’Brien, A Kendellen.

GLASGOW WARRIORS: J McKay; S Cancelliere, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, K Steyn – captain; T Jordan, G Horne; J Bhatti, J Matthews, Z Fagerson; S Cummings, R Gray;M Fagerson, R Darge, J Dempsey.

Replacements: G Turner, O Kebble, M Walker, M Williamson, E Ferrie, H Venter, J Dobie, R Thompson.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy).