Crowley and Murray start but no O'Mahony in Munster team to play Saracens

Munster have made three changes from the side which lost to Leinster. 

Conor Murray, right, and Jack Crowley during Munster training this week. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Jack Crowley and Conor Murray return to boost Munster for their must-win Champions Cup home pool clash with Saracens on Saturday evening Interim head coach Ian Costello has made three changes from the side beaten 28-7 by URC derby rivals Leinster at Thomond Park last time out on December 27 with fly-half Crowley rested for that game under IRFU player management guidelines. Scrum-half Murray returns from an elbow injury which has sidelined him since the end of Ireland’s Autumn Nations Series and brings experience in what will be his 198th Munster appearance to the number nine berth in the extended absence of Craig Casey. Fellow international Casey sustained a serious knee injury in the Champions Cup round two loss at Castres on December 13. The other change sees back-rower Jack O’Donoghue included at blindside flanker with Peter O’Mahony still not recovered from the calf contusion he sustained at Stade Pierre Fabre a month ago.

That 16-14 defeat, with a losing bonus point, leaves Munster in third place in Pool 3, three points behind Saturday’s unbeaten visitors, and four adrift of leaders Northampton Saints, to whom the province must travel for their final fixture of the group stage seven days later.