'We feel like his experience is going to count for a lot': McMillan back Nankivell on return to fitness 

Munster centre Alex Nankivell. Pic: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Clayton McMillan has welcomed the return of centre Alex Nankivell to an injury-hit Munster line-up for Saturday’s URC quarter-final at the Bulls, trusting the New Zealander’s experience will count for a lot at Loftus Versfeld.

Nankivell’s inclusion at number 13 in a midfield partnership with inside centre Sean O’Brien, is the only change from the team which started the 24-17 win over the Lions at Thomond Park a fortnight ago in the final round of the URC regular season. 

Munster’s victory at Thomond Park had come following the late withdrawals of Nankivell, lock Fineen Wycherley and Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley, all three having been initially named by McMillan in his matchday 23. 

The late disruptions, in addition to the injury absences of seven other frontline players including captain Tadhg Beirne, did not prevent Munster from booking both their place in the post-season play-offs but also secured Champions Cup rugby for next season with a fifth-place finish in the final standings.

Wycherley was on Friday named among the replacements having recovered from his knock and is in line for his 150th Munster appearance if he comes off the bench with Nankivell’s selection pushing Dan Kelly onto the bench.

“Alex has been one of our most consistent performers,” McMillan said. “He was a loss to us against the Lions when he was withdrawn late, but he's come through well the last couple of weeks.

“It's just a game where we feel like his experience is going to count for a lot. So he comes in, to partner Sean O'Brien, who was somebody who's probably played a little bit of a peripheral role this year, either on the wing or in the midfield, but made a compelling case, we feel, to get another opportunity to start in the Lions game.” 

Craig Casey continues to captain the side in the absence of injured skipper Beirne and while Crowley remains sidelined with an intermittent neural issue, akin to a dead leg, JJ Hanrahan retains the number 10 jersey for the fourth game in succession as the scrum-half’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, setting up a trip to the fourth-seeded Bulls 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.

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 Wycherley, Gavin Coombes and Alex Kendellen providing further heft as they round out the forward cover.

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 ahead of the game at altitude in Pretoria. Temperatures are set to be lower at around 22 degrees than Munster’s most recent visit in Round 14 on March 28, when Bulls won 34-31.

“We are a little bit limited for choice, but we're happy with what we've got and we've been rolling with a 6-2 split I think for the last month or so,” the Munster boss said.

“It's going to be attritional tomorrow in terms of the conditions and we know that the Bulls have the ability to go to their set-piece and be direct up front. So it's going to be a tough day at the office for the blokes up front.” 

In addition to Beirne (knee) and Crowley (leg), Munster remain without locks 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.