'They've all earned the opportunity' - Clayton McMillan hands five players first starts 

EARNED THEIR PLACE:  Munster Head Coach Clayton McMillan hands three debutants and two other players their first starts as he names his side to take on Argentina XV. Picture: ©INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon

Clayton McMillan will field three debutants and another two players making their first starts when Munster face Argentina A at Thomond Park on Saturday but the head coach insisted they had all earned their opportunity to face international opposition.

Jack O’Donoghue is set to captain a Munster side showing 11 changes from the starting line-up which beat URC derby rivals Connacht last Saturday.

The 17-15 victory rounded off an unbeaten start to the new URC campaign with a fifth straight league win and with internationals away for the November Test window, head coach Clayton McMillan is using this match against a touring side to broaden his wider squad’s experience levels.

Former UCC lock Conor Ryan starts in the second for his senior debut after signing a development contract for Munster during the summer while there will be first appearances from the bench for hooker Max Clein and back-rower Luke Murphy.

Outside centre Fionn Gibbons and academy tighthead Ronan Foxe will make their first Munster starts against the Argentine second string while there is a first start of the season for second row Evan O’Connell after he came off the bench last weekend against Connacht for his first appearance of 2025-26.

“I personally think it's really cool and they've all earned the opportunity,” McMillan said on Thursday. “They've contributed a lot to our season to date, right from pre-season. They've had to carry a high load in the absence of internationals or injured players.

“It's always tough when you leave those sorts of people out on a week-to-week basis when you name a 23 and they're not there. This is a real reward for those guys just turning up every day and putting their own agendas to the side and servicing the team, but now they get to pull on the jersey and it's a massive amount of pride for them and their families.” Joining Clein and Murphy among the replacements are two academy team-mates, scrum-half Jake O’Riordan, who made a successful debut off the bench against Connacht, and outside back Ben O’Connor.

With Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley and Craig Casey set to face New Zealand in Chicago on Saturday night and Tom Ahern and Tom Farrell also in the Ireland squad for the November Tests, McMillan also must do without South Africa lock Jean Kleyn, who has joined the Springbok’s European Tour.

Wing Thaakir Abrahams and hooker Niall Scannell are going through return to play protocols following head injuries against Connacht, while flanker John Hodnett sustained a foot injury in the same game and all three also miss out for Munster.

That trio are part of a longer injury list issued by Munster alongside their team announcement on Thursday with the province with Edwin Edogbo and Oli Jager also going through return to play protocols with another five players expected back for the resumption of the URC campaign at home to the Stormers in Limerick on November 29.

“At this stage we're really confident that come the Stormers week with a couple of down weeks, opportunity for people to get away from here that in terms of timelines we can expect a lot of bodies back, including the internationals,” McMillan said.

“It's a nice position for us to be in. Hopefully we come out of the game on the weekend unscathed and everyone continues their return-to-play protocols or progress and we hit the Stormers in really good shape.

“That's the view. I guess there's probably a couple that we might have been able to put out there if we needed to, but we don't feel we need to because we've still got some bloody good young men there, get their opportunity and some just get put on ice a little bit for a couple more weeks.” 

MUNSTER (v Argentina A): M Haley; D Kilgallen, F Gibbons, S O’Brien, S McCarthy; T Butler, P Patterson; J Wycherley, L Barron, R Foxe; C Ryan, E O’Connell; J O’Donoghue – captain, R Quinn, G Coombes.

Replacements: M Clein, M Donnelly, K Ryan, F Wycherley, L Murphy, J O’Riordan, JJ Hanrahan, B O’Connor.

Munster injury list 

• Following Return-to-Play Protocols for HIA: Niall Scannell, Thaakir Abrahams, Edwin Edogbo, Oli Jager. 
• Estimated Return To Play for Stormers/End of November: John Hodnett (Foot), Calvin Nash (Shoulder), Conor Bartley (Hamstring), Diarmuid Barron (Neck), Alex Kendellen (Ankle). 
• Estimated Return To Play in 8-10 Weeks: Brian Gleeson (Elbow), Andrew Smith (Knee/Hamstring)