Team news: Nankivell back in the centre for Munster's Bulls challenge

Munster's Alex Nankivell in UL. Pic ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Munster welcome back Alex Nankivell for their URC quarter-final at the Bulls on Saturday in the only change from the team which beat the Lions a fortnight ago to claim their place in the play-offs.

The New Zealander will start at outside centre on his return from injury having been withdrawn from the Lions game ahead of kick-off. Nankivell replaces Dan Kelly, who moves to the replacements, and forms a midfield partnership with inside centre Sean O’Brien in a side captained from scrum-half once again by Craig Casey in the absence of injured skipper Tadhg Beirne.

With Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley also among the frontline players unavailable through injury, JJ Hanrahan continues in the number 10 jersey for the fourth game in succession as Casey’s half-back partner.

A back three of full-back Mike Haley, and wings Andrew Smith and Shane Daly complete the Munster backline and it is an unchanged forward pack from the group which started the 24-17 win at Thomond Park last time out, a victory which secured fifth-place in the URC final standings and a trip to the fourth seeds at their Loftus Versfeld fortress.

Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell and Michael Ala’alatoa start in the front row as Tom Ahern and Evan O’Connell continue in the second row with Beirne, Jean Kleyn and Edwin Edogbo all injured. Flankers Jack O’Donoghue and John Hodnett, and No.8 Brian Gleeson form the starting back row.

Head coach Clayton McMillan has named a bench featuring six forwards as he aims to fight the Bulls’ physicality head on with Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley and Conor Bartley the covering front row and Fineen Wycherley, Gavin Coombes and Alex Kendellen providing further heft as they round out the forward cover.

Wycherley, like Nankivell, missed the Lions fixture due to an injury picked up after being named in the matchday squad and may belatedly earn his 150th Munster appearance if required as a replacement.

Academy scrum-half Ben O’Donovan and centre Kelly are the backline replacements with Bulls set to announce their matchday 23 at noon on Friday.

In addition to Beirne (knee) and Crowley (leg), Munster remain without Edwin Edogbo (shoulder) and Kleyn (bicep) and a further seven players - hooker Lee Barron (neck), tighthead props Roman Salanoa (hamstring) and Oli Jager (head/concussion), loosehead Michael Milne (calf), scrum-half Paddy Patterson (knee), centre Tom Farrell (shoulder), and wing Calvin Nash (hamstring).

MUNSTER (v Bulls): Mike Haley; Andrew Smith, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan, Craig Casey - captain; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Michael Ala’alatoa; Tom Ahern, Evan O’Connell; Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, Conor Bartley, Fineen Wycherley, Gavin Coombes, Ben O’Donovan, Dan Kelly, Alex Kendellen.