Crowley and Casey start as Munster look to bounce back against Bulls 

Munster's Jack Crowley. Pic: Steve Haag Sports/EJ Langner/Inpho

Craig Casey and Jack Crowley will return to the starting line-up to help Munster get their season back on track away to the Bulls on Saturday as Clayton McMillan seeks a reaction to last weekend’s 45-0 hammering at the Sharks.

The heavy URC Round 13 defeat has left sixth-placed Munster’s hopes of a top-four finish to the regular season in the balance with five league games remaining, starting with a visit to the eight-placed Bulls at their Loftus Versfeld fortress at altitude in Pretoria.

The return of Ireland half-backs Casey, as matchday captain, and Crowley headlines eight changes from the team blanked at Kings Park in Durban last Saturday with Munster now looking to stay in the top eight qualification spots for the end of season knockout rounds and ensure Champions Cup rugby for next season.

Crowley will be looking to continue the impressive form he showed in steering Ireland to the Six Nations Triple Crown having started at 10 for Andy Farrell in the final three games of the campaign with himself and scrum-half Casey replacing JJ Hanhrahan, who drops to the bench, and Ethan Coughlan respectively.

Further backline changes come at full-back, outside centre and on the left wing, with Ben O’Connor in for Mike Haley at 15, Dan Kelly for Tom Farrell at 13 and Sean O’Brien for Shane Daly at 11.

There is an all-new back row with Tom Ahern switching from lock to blindside flanker in place of Sean Edogbo, Alex Kendellen replacing John Hodnett at openside, who moves to the bench and Brian Gleeson taking over the No.8 jersey from Gavin Coombes. 

Hodnett and Coombes move to the bench populated by six forwards and two backs as Munster look to combat the Bulls’ physicality with heavyweight lock Edwin Edogbo the third back-five forward, while Jeremy Loughman is included after recovering from the calf injury which forced him out of the final two Six Nations rounds. Paddy Patterson provides cover at scrum-half.

MUNSTER (v Bulls): Ben O’Connor; Calvin Nash, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Sean O’Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron, Michael Ala’alatoa; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Tom Ahern; Alex Kendellen, Brian Gleeson.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Edwin Edogbo, Gavin Coombes, Paddy Patterson, JJ Hanrahan, John Hodnett.