Munster name side to face New Zealand Maori
Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus makes four changes to tomorrow night’s historic encounter with the Maori All Blacks at Thomond Park with Tommy O’Donnell to captain Munster for the first time.
Three players are in line to make their Munster debuts. New signing Te Aihe Toma is included on the bench as are the academy’s Sean O’Connor and John Foley.
O’Connor was part of the Ireland side that defeated New Zealand at this year’s World Rugby U20 Championship.
Conor Oliver, Brian Scott and Dan Goggin are also included in the matchday squad completing a strong academy representation of five players.
Three changes are seen in the pack. James Cronin comes back into the front row with John Madigan making his first start of the season in the second row. Oliver returns with captain O’Donnell and Robin Copeland making positional switches to form a new look back row. O’Donnell starts at blindside for the first time since February 2014.
The last change comes at half back where Ian Keatley comes in to partner Duncan Williams.
It's as you were across the midfield and back three. Returning from Ireland camp and again named on the right wing, Darren Sweetnam is the only to player to start every game this season and makes his tenth consecutive start.
23 clubs and schools from across the province will be represented on the pitch tomorrow night having won the #MunsterRising Socks competition, in association with Life Style Sports. Along with seeing their colours on the big stage, winning entrants have the opportunity to lay their club or school socks out for their assigned player in the Munster dressing room before kick-off.
Munster: Andrew Conway; Darren Sweetnam, Jaco Taute, Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; James Cronin, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; John Madigan, Darren O’Shea; Tommy O’Donnell Capt., Conor Oliver, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Peter McCabe, Brian Scott, Sean O’Connor, John Foley, Te Aihe Toma, Dan Goggin, Alex Wootton.
Munster v Maori All Blacks, Friday November 11th at Thomond Park, ko 7.30pm.