Experience Aplenty For The Aberavon Trip

Ian Costello takes a side to Wales for the Port Talbot meeting with Aberavon, that includes six players with Heineken Cup experience in addition to CJ Stander who would almost certainly would have been in the current European squad only for sustaining a hand injury in his second outing since arriving from South Africa.

Stander is part of a formidable looking back row that includes Sean Dougall – he captains the side – and Dave O'Callaghan for a game that Munster need to win to keep control of Pool 7.

And Costello can expect a serious examination at the Talbot Athletic ground tomorrow. When the sides met in Tralee RFC in October, the Welsh led 8-7 at half time and extended that lead with an early second half penalty.

However once Munster got into their rhythm tries from Barry O'Mahony and his brother Ronan eased them to a 19-11 victory.

Of that side missing for tomorrow's clash through injury is Barry O'Mahony (groin) as well as others to impress that day Cian Bohane (knee) and Corey Hircock (ankle). Skipper that day in Tralee, Sean Henry, travels with the senior side to Edinburgh as an additional player and Tommy O'Donnell starts in that game at Murrayfield.

First year academy players Brian Haugh and Darren Sweetnam ,named in the replacements, are included in a B&I Cup squad for the first time.

Munster: D Hurley; D Barnes, S Deasy, I Dineen, R O'Mahony; JJ Hanrahan, C Sheridan; J Cronin, D Casey, A Cotter; D Foley, I Nagle; Dave O'Callaghan, S Dougall, CJ Stander. Replacements: N Scannell, C Condon, B Hayes, R Murphy, B Haugh, J Holland, D Sweetnam.