Munster Keen For Win In Wales

Munster travel to third-placed Ospreys on Sunday at 4pm looking to regain top spot in the RaboDirect PRO12 after Leinster beat Cardiff Blues with a bonus-point last night.

Head Coach Rob Penney has named a strong side for the clash with Munster enjoying their most prolific spell of the season – they have won their last three matches by a combined total of more than 100 points with 13 wins out of their last 14 games in all competitions.

However, they have lost on their last three visits to Liberty Stadium since their 22-20 victory in April 2011 and the in-form Ospreys are just eight points behind Munster in the table having won four out of their last five PRO12 clashes. Their 75-7 demolition of Treviso last Sunday was their biggest victory since the region was formed in 2003.

The two sides are the top points and try-scorers in the PRO12 yet when they met earlier in the season it was the lowest-scoring game that Munster have been involved in all season. It ended 12-6 to the hosts on a cold night at the start of November in Thomond Park with both sides missing a number of players due to the autumn internationals.

That scenario is repeated this weekend with Munster without three of their star performers and captain Alan Wyn Jones is one of six Ospreys players named in the Wales squad for tonight’s Six Nations clash against France.

The Welsh side are a formidable force at home and their only two defeats at the Liberty Stadium in the RaboDirect PRO12 since September 2012 were to Ulster and Glasgow in rounds 5 and 9 this season.

Ospreys have struggled against Irish sides lately and have won only one of their last nine contests with Irish provinces; 43-26 against Connacht in Galway in the PRO12 last September.

Munster have won all six of their fixtures against Welsh opponents this season and a seventh would move them back to the top of the PRO12 table.

Munster face Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday afternoon at 4pm, the match will be televised on S4C with live updates here.

Munster: Felix Jones; Andrew Conway, Casey Laulala, James Downey, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Cathal Sheridan; James Cronin, Duncan Casey, BJ Botha; Donnacha Ryan, Dave Foley; Tommy O'Donnell, Sean Dougall, James Coughlan(Capt). Replacements: Ger Slattery, Dave Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Donncha O'Callaghan, CJ Stander, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Denis Hurley.