Holland, McPhail and Leamy Back For Munster

Jason Holland, Martin McPhail and Denis Leamy return from injury for Munster’s game on Friday against Glasgow Rugby at Musgrave Park (7.30pm).

Jason Holland, Martin McPhail and Denis Leamy return from injury for Munster’s game on Friday against Glasgow Rugby at Musgrave Park (7.30pm).

Their recovery is particularly timely seeing as Shaun Payne and Eddie Halvey both picked up injury in the defeat in Newport that has ruled them out of contention for this game. Coach Alan Gaffney has made five changes – one positional – from the side that started against Gwent.

In the backline, McPhail takes over on the wing from the injured Payne (knee)and Holland comes back into the centre to renew his old partnership with Mike Mullins, at the expense of Conrad O’Sullivan. Up front Frank Roche retains the number 3 jersey after replacing Jody Danagher last week, Stephen Keogh switches to the second row in place of Donal Sheehan, leaving the number six jersey for Leamy.

It’s just three weeks since the sides met in Hughenden in the Celtic Cup, a game that Munster will feel that they left behind them after a bright start. Captain Jim Williams is optimistic however that they can turn that result around, “We played some really good football that night but maybe lacked a bit of consistency, a bit of concentration. They have a massive pack particularly their front row so we will need to put in the tackles.

We need to work on our lineout and just tighten up generally around the park. As I said before things are starting to come right for us, it’s slow but that to be expected with players coming and going through injury. I think that ourselves and Glasgow are pretty evenly matched and Friday’s game will come don to whoever wants it the most. Hopefully we’ll get a good crowd and if they get behind us I think we can pull it off.”

Munster XV for Celtic League game v Glasgow Rugby, Musgrave Park. Friday (7.30pm)

15 Dominic Crotty 14 Martin McPhail 13 Mike Mullins 12 Jason Holland 11 Mossie Lawlor 10 Jeremy Staunton 9 Eoin Reddan 1 Simon Kerr 2 Andy Long 3 Frank Roche 4 Trevor Hogan 5 Stephen Keogh 6 Denis Leamy 7 David Wallace 8 Jim Williams capt

Replacements

Eugene McGovern James Blaney Donal Sheahan Colm McMahon Frank Murphy Conrad O’Sullivan Clem Casey