Casey captains Munster as McMillan hands Kelly debut in Scarlets clash 

Munster’s new centre Dan Kelly starts this weekend. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Craig Casey will captain Munster for Clayton McMillan’s first competitive game as the province’s head coach in Saturday’s URC season-opener at Scarlets.

Casey, who captained Ireland in the national side’s Tests on tour against Georgia and Portugal this summer, will lead Munster for the first time in the absence of club skipper Tadhg Beirne, who is on a delayed pre-season following the British & Irish Lions tour. 

Scrum-half Casey is one of five Ireland tourists in McMillan’s first matchday squad announced on Thursday with openside flanker Alex Kendellen the other starter while forwards Tom Ahern and Gavin Coombes and fly-half Jack Crowley have been named as replacements.

Parc Y Scarlets will also see hooker Niall Scannell make his 200th appearance for Munster, 12 years after a senior debut against the same opposition, in his native Cork.

Scannell starts in the front row alongside props Jeremy Loughman and Oli Jager, while Jean Kleyn returns from a knee injury sustained on international duty with South Africa to form a second row with Fineen Wycherley. Kendellen is joined in the back row by Jack O’Donoghue at blindside flanker and Brian Gleeson at No.8.

In the backline there are Munster debuts for Dan Kelly, named at outside centre following a summer move from Leicester Tigers, and a starting role at number 10 for JJ Hanrahan as he begins his third stint at his home province having re-joined from Connacht. 

It means a resumption of a half-back partnership with Casey not seen since the 2020-21 season.

Irish-qualified Kelly starts in midfield alongside Alex Nankivell while the back three is made up of wings Thaakir Abraham and Shane Daly, in his first competitive game since a hamstring injury sustained with Ireland A against England A last February, with Mike Haley starting at full-back.

Tighthead prop Conor Bartley is in line for his Munster debut off the bench having signed from Young Munster last season with hooker Lee Barron and loosehead prop Josh completing the forward cover alongside Ahern and Coombes. 

Scrum-half Paddy Patterson, Crowley and Seán O’Brien are the backline replacements.

Tom Farrell (calf), John Hodnett (cheek), Diarmuid Kilgallen (ankle), Michael Milne (calf), John Ryan (elbow) and Andrew Smith (chest) were all unavailable with what Munster said were “considered short to medium-term injuries”.

Long-term absentee Roman Salanoa, the tighthead prop, is increasing his training exposure following a knee injury.

Munster on Thursday also confirmed that Alex Codling has this week started his new role as forwards coach following the completion of his commitments with Ireland at the Women’s Rugby World Cup. 

Codling joined Munster last November as forwards coach consultant under interim head coach Ian Costello, combining his commitments with the Ireland senior women’s squad.

A further announcement from the province was confirmation that former Ireland hooker Seán Cronin joined the senior men’s coaching team this summer as scrum coach, in addition to his role as Provincial Talent Coach. 

Cronin returned to his home province in a coaching capacity following his retirement as a player in 2022, his career having started in the Munster academy before senior spells with Connacht and Leinster. 

MUNSTER: Mike Haley: Shane Daly, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; JJ Hanrahan, Craig Casey (C); Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Brian Gleeson.

Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, Conor Bartley, Tom Ahern, Gavin Coombes, Paddy Patterson, Jack Crowley, Seán O’Brien.