Munster to field two different teams in La Rochelle clash 

Munster head coach Clayton McMillan. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

Munster head coach Clayton McMillan will field two different teams after naming a 33-man squad for the province’s pre-season opener against La Rochelle in France on Friday (6.30pm Irish time).

Each of McMillan’s XVs named on Thursday afternoon will feature a mix of established Munster frontliners, academy players and new tighthead prop signings Kieran Brookes and Jack Aungier but the province earlier in the day revealed some notable players were unavailable due to injury.

McMillan expected to be without his Ireland internationals until early October following their delayed start to pre-season after their involvement in July’s opening three Nations Championship matches in Australia and New Zealand. 

Yet Munster also said Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley was set to be sidelined until the new year after the leg injury that ended his season last April was diagnosed as a lower limb vascular issue.

New signing Will Harrison, the Australian former Waratahs fly-half/full-back signed from Japan’s Kinetsu Liners on a one-year deal, misses out this weekend with a knee injury, with JJ Hanrahan set to play the first 40 minutes at number 10 on Friday with academy star Tom Wood taking over for the second period, with Ben O’Donovan and Ethan Coughlan their respective scrum-half partners.

South Africa hooker Marnus van der Merwe, signed from Scarlets this summer, is also absent for the La Rochelle fixture with Lee Barron taking the starting number two jersey and Diarmuid Barron taking over for the second half.

With Munster looking to provide game-time to as many players as possible, McMillan has included academy players Gordon Wood, Conor Kennelly, Danny Sheahan and Emmet Calvey in addition to Tom Wood. 

Former Ireland U20 pair Kennelly, a Highfield lock, and Shannon prop Calvey are in line for their first senior Munster appearances, the former alongside Fineen Wycherley in the first-half second row while the latter is one of the three subs named for both halves, alongside Sheahan and first-year senior tighthead Ronan Foxe.

Former Ireland 7s international Hubert Gilvarry, a Young Munster clubman, is also included on the right wing for the second half having trained with the squad over pre-season and is also set for his first Munster appearance.

Academy graduates Ben O’Connor, at full-back for the opening 40, O’Donovan and back-rower Seán Edogbo, named at blindside flanker from the kick-off, will all be making their first appearances as senior squad members.

While Munster are embarking on their first outing in pre-season with the first round of the new URC campaign getting underway at Thomond Park against Glasgow Warriors on Saturday, September 28, Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle will be just nine days out from the their Top 14 opener at home to Toulouse on Sunday, September 6. 

Friday’s friendly comes a week after defeating European champions Bordeaux Begles 40-38 at Deflandre.

Munster, meanwhile, conclude their pre-season campaign at home to Leicester Tigers at Virgin Media Park in Cork on Friday, September 18.

MUNSTER (v La Rochelle): 

First Half Team: Ben O’Connor; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Gordon Wood, Alex Nankivell, Shay McCarthy; JJ Hanrahan, Ben O’Donovan; Michael Milne, Lee Barron, Michael Ala’alatoa/Kieran Brookes; Conor Kennelly, Fineen Wycherley; Seán Edogbo, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Danny Sheahan, Emmet Calvey, Ronan Foxe.

Second Half Team: Mike Haley; Hubert Gilvarry, Seán O’Brien, Dan Kelly, Shay McCarthy; Tom Wood, Ethan Coughlan; Mark Donnelly, Diarmuid Barron, Kieran Brookes/Jack Aungier; Conor Ryan, Evan O’Connell; Jack O’Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Brian Gleeson.

Replacements: Danny Sheahan, Emmet Calvey, Ronan Foxe.