Graham Rowntree makes four changes to side for Sharks clash

Injuries have forced Graham Rowntree to rejig his side for a stiff challenge against Sharks.

TEAM NAMED: Munster have made changes and rejigged their starting side to face the Sharks. Picture: ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports

Injuries have forced Munster’s hand once more as Graham Rowntree names a rejigged side for the stiff challenge of playing the Sharks at Durban’s Kings Park in Saturday’s URC round six clash.

Injuries to left wing Shane Daly (leg), loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman (knee) and an ongoing hip issue for centre Alex Nankivell, as well as the absence of Conor Murray for personal reasons, mean there are four changes and two positional switches from the side which started last Saturday’s 34-19 to the DHL Stormers in Cape Town.

Nankivell was named and then withdrawn from last weekend’s starting line-up and has failed to make a return to the number 12 jersey after sustaining an injury on the opening day of the season in the home win over Connacht, while Daly and Loughman were casualties during the defeat.

Craig Casey replaces Murray at scrum-half having missed the Stormers game due to a knock, while Rory Scannell starts at inside centre, Stephen Archer comes in at tighthead as John Ryan switches sides to start at loosehead.

John Hodnett moves in at openside flanker as Alex Kendellen is named as one of two back-row replacements alongside Ruadhan Quinn on a bench featuring six forwards and two backs.

The other positional switch sees Seán O’Brien moves from inside centre to the left wing to cover Nankivell’s absence.

Academy tighthead Ronan Foxe is in line for a senior Munster debut from the bench while hooker Diarmuid Barron is also included after missing the Stormers defeat following a head knock at Leinster the previous week.

Sharks head coach John Plumtree, the former Ireland forwards coach, makes three changes and a positional switch from the line-up which defeated reigning champions Glasgow Warriors 28-24 in Durban last Saturday.

Grant Williams comes in for Jaden Hendrikse at number nine, the scrum-halves switching between bench and starting line-up with the same applying in the back row as Pepsi Bhutelezi moves to the replacements and James Venter comes in at blindside flanker. Springboks captain Siya Kolisi moves from number six to No.8 while there is a change of Tshituka on the openside as Vincent replaces Emmanuel at number seven. Former Munster, and Leinster, lock Jason Jenkins continues in a bench role.

SHARKS: A Fassi; E Keyter, L Am, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, G Williams; O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch; E Etzebeth – captain, E van Heerden; J Venter, V Tshituka, S Kolisi.

Replacements: F Mbatha, N Mchunu, R Dreyer, J Jenkins, P Bhutelezi, Jaden Hendrikse, S Masuku, F Venter.

MUNSTER: M Haley; C Nash, T Farrell, R Scannell, S O’Brien; J Crowley, C Casey; J Ryan, N Scannell, S Archer; J Kleyn, T Beirne - captain; T Ahern, J Hodnett, J O’Donoghue.

Replacements: D Barron, K Ryan, R Foxe, F Wycherley, R Quinn, E Coughlan, B Burns, A Kendellen.

Referee: Hollie Davison (Scotland).