Billy Burns and Tom Farrell set for first Munster start against Bath

TEAM NAMES: Summer signings Billy Burns and Tom Farrell are set to start for Munster in their first pre-season clash on Saturday when Diarmuid Barron captains the side at Johann van Graan’s Bath. Picture: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Summer signings Billy Burns and Tom Farrell are set to start for Munster in their first pre-season clash on Saturday when Diarmuid Barron captains the side at Johann van Graan’s Bath.

Head coach Graham Rowntree, without his contingent of Ireland players who toured South Africa in July, has named a 30-player squad for The Rec encounter with fly-half Burns, signed from Ulster, and former Connacht centre Tom Farrell featuring in a line-up of senior, Academy and club players.

Fellow new signings Diuarmuid Kilgallen, a back three player from Connacht, and Garryowen centre Bryan Fitzgerald, are also set for their first appearances, the latter on a short-term contract, off a replacements bench that also includes academy players Ronan Foxe and Jack Oliver. There are also opportunities to impress for club players Conor Ryan (UCC) and Luca Cleary (UL Bohemian).

The starting XV sees a return from a long-term shoulder injury for Patrick Campbell at full-back in a back three also featuring wings Liam Coombes and academy player Shay McCarthy. New signing Farrell forms a centre partnership in a reunion with fellow former Connacht centre Sean O’Brien while former Ireland fly-half Burns partners scrum-half Ethan Coughlan.

An experienced front row of Jeremy Loughman, skipper Barron and John Ryan packs down with Gavin Coombes starting at lock in a second row with Fineen Wycherley. The back row sees academy forward Ruadhán Quinn start at blindside flanker alongside openside John Hodnett and No.8 Jack O’Donoghue.

There are three hookers on the bench with Scott Buckley back from a short-term loan spell with Australian club Randwick, academy player Max Clein and Niall Scannell, while tighthead Stephen Archer, back rowers Jack Daly and Alex Kendellen, and full-back Mike Haley are the senior figures also looking for game time off the bench in a game being streamed live on Bath Rugby’s TikTok account.

Johann van Graan will hand a starting debut to former Leinster lock Ross Molony following his summer move to the English Premiership. Bath, missing a string of England internationals, have named Scotland captain Finn Russell on an extended bench which also features wing Joe Cokanasiga and former Connacht and Ireland lock Quinn Roux.

Munster will play the second of their pre-season games next Friday when Gloucester visit Cork’s Virgin Media Park (7pm).

BATH: C Donoghue; A Emens, J Short, W Butt, R McConnochie; O Bailey, L Schreuder; A Cordwell, J Stewart, K Verden; J du Plessis, R Molony; E Richards, T Cowan, M Reid – captain.

Replacement forwards: N Annett, J Spandler, K Tuipulotu, I Emanuel, A Stanley, M Summerfield, F van Wyk, C Ewels, W Jeanes, Q Roux, J Coetzee, T Hill, A Green, E Staddon Replacement backs: T Carr-Smith, I Davies, F Russell, L Hennessey, M Ojomoh, J Cokanasiga, T de Glanville, L Graham, T Offiah, J Woods.

MUNSTER: P Campbell; L Coombes, T Farrell, S O’Brien, S McCarthy; B Burns, E Coughlan; J Loughman, D Barron - captain, J Ryan; G Coombes, F Wycherley; R Quinn, J Hodnett, J O’Donoghue.

Replacements from: S Buckley, M Clein, N Scannell, J Wycherley, S Archer, R Foxe, C Ryan, J Daly, A Kendellen, J Oliver, L Cleary, T Butler, B Fitzgerald, D Kilgallen, M Haley.

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng).