McMillan wary of Connacht's threats kicking Munster back down to earth

PLENTY TO PONDER: Head Coach Clayton McMillan at Munster Rugby Squad Training, UL, Limerick. Pic: INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon

If there are any kicks up the backsides to be applied to Munster following their lauded victory at Leinster, Clayton McMillan has recognised Connacht’s ability to deliver them at Thomond Park on Saturday.

The head coach warned his players there is only a short journey from a pat on the back to a kick in the rear as he looks for Munster to back up their impressive bonus-point win at Croke Park with a repeat performance at home to the westerners.

Connacht travel south for this URC round-five derby looking to translate the progress made under Stuart Lancaster's new tenure into victory, thereby erasing the memory of back-to-back defeats, the most recent of which came at home to the Bulls in a 28-27 heartbreaker last Friday.

“I'm definitely expecting the best version of Connacht,” McMillan said. “They've got threats right across the park, the best performing lineout in the competition, has been for a number of years. They're a dangerous side and I know a fair bit about Josh Ioane, I coached him for a number of years and I'm well aware of what he can bring to the table and how he can stress opposition teams.

“So we can't be a team that's easily satisfied. We've just got to keep going out the next week and chasing that feeling of being proud of our performance and getting better.” 

The head coach and his players have been receiving rave reviews since they turned over the URC champions in Dublin last Saturday with a 31-14 bonus-point victory.

Yet he has warned against complacency as he prepares a much-changed matchday squad for Saturday’s Thomond Park derby. He said turning the page from celebration to next-job focus had not been a difficult task.

“It’s been pretty easy, to be honest,” McMillan said. “We were delighted with the outcome on the weekend but come Monday, we just reviewed the game, like we would every other week, and just keep reminding ourselves that’s in the rear vision mirror now. 

“And for all the pats on the back it’s a short distance from that to a kick up the backside if we don’t get the job done again this weekend so, yeah, it’s been a good week.” 

McMillan has handed fit again duo John Hodnett and Diarmuid Kilgallen their first appearances of the season as two of seven changes to a winning Munster side.

Jack O’Donoghue captains from the back row, shifting from openside to blindside flanker to accommodate Hodnett, who has recovered from a facial injury sustained in pre-season. Alex Nankivell, JJ Hanrahan, Lee Barron, Jean Kleyn and Gavin Coombes all step up to starting places after featuring as replacements at Croke Park while Kilgallen has recovered from the ankle injury that forced him out of the first four games to start on the right wing.

Club captain Tadhg Beirne is one of five absentees this weekend on Ireland duty with last Saturday’s Leinster win accounting for the further absences due to injury of Diarmuid Barron, Edwin Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Paddy Patterson and Andrew Smith.

JJ Hanrahan comes off the bench for Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley to face the team he left after two years in Galway to return to his home province during the summer. The Kerryman is partnered at half-back by Ethan Coughlan, who started against Leinster and claimed Munster’s third first-half try.

Tom Farrell’s call-up to the Ireland squad now in Chicago means a midfield reshuffle with Nankivell coming off the bench as Dan Kelly switches from inside to outside centre, the starting duo renewing their partnership of the first two rounds.

There is also a new-look back three following Smith’s hamstring and MCL injury at Croke Park, with Kilgallen moving onto the right wing alongside full-back Shane Daly and left wing Thaakir Abrahams.

Barron’s neck injury in Dublin sees Lee Barron promoted from the bench to starting hooker, while Niall Scannell returns from a lacerated hand to serve as covering hooker.

Jean Kleyn, called up in midweek by South Africa for their November Tests in Europe, replaces the concussed Edogbo in the second row and partners Fineen Wycherley, making his fifth-consecutive start of the season.

Hodnett’s first involvement comes at openside flanker as O’Donoghue switches to blindside as Beirne’s replacement, in the back row and as captain. Coombes takes over at No.8 from Gleeson.

Academy scrum-half Jake O’Riordan, 20, is set for his Munster debut from a bench which also includes lock Evan O’Connell and back-three cover Shay McCarthy, both in line for their seasonal debuts.

MUNSTER (v Connacht): Shane Daly; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; JJ Hanrahan, Ethan Coughlan; Michael Milne, Lee Barron, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue - captain, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Ruadhan Quinn, Jake O’Riordan, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy.