New boy Abrahams set for Munster start in Gloucester clash

Thaakir Abrahams joins full-back Mike Haley and fellow wing Liam Coombes in the Munster back three.

WINGMEN: Calvin Nash and Thaakir Abrahams arrive for training. Pic: Ben Brady/Inpho

Summer signing Thaakir Abrahams is set for his first start for Munster in Friday night’s pre-season clash with Gloucester, the exciting South African named on the left wing for the Virgin Media Park meeting in Cork (7pm).

Graham Rowntree has selected a 30-man squad for the second and final game ahead of the 2024-25 season with kicks off at Thomond Park against URC derby rivals Connacht on Saturday, September 21.

Former South Africa Under-20 international and Sharks player Abrahams, 25, joined from French Top 14 club Lyon but was a late arrival to pre-season training after having to wait for a work visa clearance.

Attack coach Mike Prendergast this week backed the wing to quickly get up to speed and has been impressed by Abrahams’ start to life on the Munster training field.

“Obviously Tackie only came in last week and he’s coming from a different system and he’s looking at a new way of playing from an attack point of view,” Prendergast said. “So he might take a small bit of time to get up to speed but I’ve not doubt he’ll get there quite quickly.

“Just looking at him, his footwork, he’s got X-factor, that’s the type of player he is. The way we play the game it’s something that we hope his profile will suit us. He’s come in and he’s enjoyed how we play the game.

“He obviously would have watched us to see what he was coming into and he came in prepared as well, to be fair to the fella, so he has knowledge of what needs to be done.

“There’s an excitement around him. He’s got real X-factor.” 

Abrahams joins full-back Mike Haley and fellow wing Liam Coombes in the Munster back three and there is a fresh centre pairing with Shane Daly combining with Seán O’Brien in midfield outside a new half-back partnership of summer signing Billy Burns at fly-half and academy scrum-half Jack Oliver, who starts for the first time after coming off the bench as a newcomer at Bath in last Saturday’s 24-21 defeat at The Rec.

There is further academy representation among the forwards with flanker Ruadhán Quinn starting at blindside flanker while fellow back-rower and Under-20 international Seán Edogbo is in line for his first Munster appearance as a replacement and former Ireland U20 prop Ronan Foxe also takes a place on the bench.

The starting pack sees Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell and Stephen Archer start in the front row with Gavin Coombes and Fineen Wycherley as the locks and Quinn joined by openside flanker Alex Kendellen and captain Jack O’Donoghue.

Also among the replacements are club players Conor Ryan (UCC), Luca Cleary (UL Bohs) and Gordon Wood (Garryowen), the latter set for his first Munster appearance.

Summer signings Tom Farrell and Bryan Fitzgerald join Wood in the backline reserves.

MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Liam Coombes, Shane Daly, Seán O'Brien, Thaakir Abrahams; Billy Burns, Jack Oliver; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Gavin Coombes, Fineen Wycherley; Ruadhán Quinn, Alex Kendellen, Jack O'Donoghue - captain.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Scott Buckley, Eoghan Clarke, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Ronan Foxe, Conor Ryan, Jack Daly, Seán Edogbo, Luca Cleary, Tony Butler, Tom Farrell, Bryan Fitzgerald, Gordon Wood, Patrick Campbell.