Casey to skipper Munster for visit of Bulls

The home side will aim to bounce back from last week's opening-night defeat. 

Craig Casey during Munster training this week. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Craig Casey will captain a much-changed Munster line-up on his seasonal debut when the Bulls visit Thomond Park on Saturday night for United Rugby Championship round two.

The rematch of last season’s play-off quarter-final in Pretoria, when the South African giants blew Munster away 45-14, comes as Clayton McMillan’s players aim to rebound from a season-opening 26-20 loss at home to Glasgow Warriors.

Casey, made available after a delayed start to his pre-season following Ireland’s summer Nations Championship Tests in Australia and New Zealand, will lead a side showing 11 changes from the starting XV of last Saturday, including a first-time half-back partnership with academy fly-half Charlie O’Shea. The 20-year-old UCC and Ireland Under-20 playmaker made his senior debut off the bench against Glasgow replacing the impressive JJ Hanrahan on 69 minutes. Now O’Shea rotates with the senior out-half, Hanrahan joining last Saturday’s Starting number nine Ben O’Donovan among the replacements with the bench showing a six-two split between forwards and backs as head coach McMillan bulks up his selection to face the heavyweight Bulls.

Four of the 11 changes have been forced by injury with hooker and last weekend’s skipper Diarmuid Barron, flanker Jack O’Donoghue and centre Alex Nankivell all following return to play protocols after head knocks against the Warriors, while full-back Mike Haley is ruled out with a knee injury from the same game.

Summer signing Marnus van der Merwe gets his first start at hooker after a debut off the bench last time, recent academy graduate Seán Edogbo takes over at blindside flanker from O’Donoghue while Dan Kelly comes in at inside centre as Seán O’Brien moves across the midfield to replace Nankivell in the number 13 jersey.

Shane Daly has recovered from a minor knock that forced him out of the Glasgow game and replaces Haley at number 15, with Shay McCarthy taking over on the left wing as Ben O’Connor, a try scorer last Saturday, is rotated out of the matchday 23, the incoming duo joining right wing Diarmuid Kilgallen in the back three.

There is a change at tighthead prop Jack Aungier is handed a debut following a minor back issue, the ex-Connacht, once-capped Ireland front-rower replacing fellow new signing Kieran Brookes. Former England international Brookes is named as replacement hooker for this Saturday with Ronan Foxe covering tighthead with summer Ireland tourist Jeremy Loughman backing up loosehead start Michael Milne.

Tom Ahern has recovered from the finger injury which forced him out of the season opener to start alongside the retained Fineen Wycherley in the second row as Evan O’Connell moves to the bench, while openside flanker John Hodnett and No.8 Brian Gleeson join Seán Edogbo in the back row as last week’s starters Alex Kendellen and Gavin Coombes go into the replacements.

MUNSTER: Shane Daly; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Seán O’Brien, Dan Kelly, Shay McCarthy; Charlie O’Shea, Craig Casey - captain; Michael Milne, Marnus van der Merwe, Jack Aungier; Tom Ahern, Fineen Wycherley; Seán Edogbo, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson.

Replacements: Kieran Brookes, Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Gavin Coombes, Ben O’Donovan, JJ Hanrahan, Alex Kendellen.

BULLS: Hakeem Kunene; Sebastian de Klerk, Stedman Gans, Stravino Jacobs, Thaakir Abrahams; Curwin Bosch, Zak Burger; Alu Tshakweni, Juann Else, Francois Klopper; Ruan Vermaak, Reinhardt Ludwig: Marcell Coetzee - captain, Hanro Liebenberg, Jeandre Rudolph Replacements: Janco Uys, Sti Sithole, Khutha Mchunu, JF van Heerden, Nizaam Carr, Paul de Wet, Cheswill Jooste, Willie le Roux