Munster travel to South Africa with Ireland stars back in the mix

The province’s arrival in Durban was delayed by 24 hours until Wednesday

Munster head coach Clayton McMillan. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

Munster have travelled to South Africa for their two-match URC tour with a number of Ireland Six Nations squad members included. While Jack Crowley, Craig Casey and Jeremy Loughman are set to join Clayton McMillan’s playing group for games against the Sharks and the Bulls.

The province’s arrival in Durban for the first of those game against the Sharks this Saturday was delayed by 24 hours until Wednesday due to a cancelled flight from London, but 28 players including Edwin Edogbo, Tom Farrell, Brian Gleeson and Michael Milne are in the mix for selection with head coach McMillan set to name his matchday squad at 12:30pm Irish time on Thursday. Academy players Sean Edogbo and Ben O’Connor are also in the travelling party.

Edogbo, Farrell and Milne all featured during Ireland’s Six Nations campaign over the past two months, with Edogbo making his Test debut off the bench against Italy. Centre Farrell was a replacement in the victory over Wales in round four while Milne was an impactful substitute against both France and the Triple Crown-securing win over Scotland last Saturday.

Munster said scrum-half Casey, fly-half Crowley and loosehead prop Loughman were set to travel separately, which will bring the playing group in South Africa to 31. All three had higher levels of involvement in the championship campaign, with Crowley playing all five matches, the latter three rounds as starting number 10. Loughman missed the final two rounds with a calf injury having started the first three rounds but has been passed fit to travel.

After defeat in URC round 11 away to league leaders Glasgow Warriors, Munster will resume their push for the play-offs in sixth place in the table, six points off the top spot and nine points clear of ninth-placed Connacht, with the top eight set secure progress to the knockout rounds after 18 rounds.

MUNSTER SQUAD 

BACKS: Craig Casey, Ethan Coughlan, Paddy Patterson, Jack Crowley, JJ Hanrahan, Tom Farrell, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien, Shane Daly, Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Ben O’Connor.

FORWARDS: Michael Ala’alatoa, Jeremy Loughman, Michael Milne, John Ryan, Kieran Ryan, Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Lee Barron, Niall Scannell, Tom Ahern, Edwin Edogbo, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Gavin Coombes, Seán Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.