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Team News | Munster Side To Face Benetton In Italy

January 27, 2023 11:54 am By The Editor

Niall Scannell captains Munster against Benetton on Saturday.

Niall Scannell captains Munster against Benetton on Saturday. Inpho

The Munster team has been named ahead of Saturday’s URC round 13 clash away to Benetton in Italy (2.30pm Irish time, live on TG4 & Premier Sports).

Niall Scannell will captain Munster for the second time with eight personnel changes and one positional switch to the side that were beaten in Toulouse last week.

Joey Carbery starts at out-half on his 50th Munster appearance with replacement Ben Healy also in line to play his 50th game for Munster.

Liam Coombes, Malakai Fekitoa and Paddy Patterson come into the backline with Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Sullivan and Alex Kendellen joining the pack.

Fineen Wycherley makes his first appearance in almost four months after recovering from a shoulder injury.

Shane Daly moves to full-back in the absence of the injured Mike Haley with Calvin Nash and Coombes on either flank.

Fekitoa and Frisch start together in midfield with Patterson and Carbery in the half-backs.

Josh Wycherley, Scannell and Salanoa start in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Fineen Wycherley in the engine room.

O’Sullivan, John Hodnett and no.8 Alex Kendellen complete the starting XV.

Greencore Munster Rugby Academy forwards Mark Donnelly, Cian Hurley and Ruadhan Quinn are named among the replacements.

Prop Donnelly is set for his first appearance of the season while 19-year-old Quinn, who has been named in the Ireland U20s squad for the 6 Nations, became the province’s youngest player of the professional era against Zebre last October.

Stephen Archer, Neil Cronin and Rory Scannell all return to the squad with Cronin set for his first appearance since the win over South Africa A at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

On the injury front, Keynan Knox (knee) returned to full training this week.

In player news, John Ryan was unavailable due to family reasons.

Find out all you need to know ahead of the game here.

Munster: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Malakai Fekitoa, Liam Coombes; Joey Carbery, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell (C), Roman Salanoa; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Sullivan, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Mark Donnelly, Stephen Archer, Cian Hurley, Ruadhan Quinn, Neil Cronin, Ben Healy, Rory Scannell.

Press Pass | Benetton v Munster

URC & 6 Nations Tickets

Friday, February 10

6 Nations: Ireland U20s v France, Musgrave Park, 8pm; Buy tickets from €15 here

Friday, February 17

URC: Munster v Ospreys, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets from €20 here

Friday, March 3

URC: Munster v Scarlets, Musgrave Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets from €20 here

Sunday, March 19

6 Nations: Ireland U20s v England, Musgrave Park, 5pm; Buy tickets from €15 here

Saturday, March 25

URC: Munster v Glasgow Warriors, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets from €20 here

Saturday, April 1

6 Nations: Ireland Women v France, Musgrave Park, 3.15pm; Buy tickets from €10 here

Saturday, April 22

6 Nations: Ireland Women v England, Musgrave Park, 2.15pm; Buy tickets from €10 here

Munster - Match Page - Lineups - Preview

Report | Munster Battle To Thrilling BP Win In Treviso

January 28, 2023 5:08 pm By The Editor

Paddy Patterson scores the first Munster try.

Paddy Patterson scores the first Munster try. Inpho

Munster secured a vital bonus-point win in Italy after a rip-roaring URC round 13 clash against Benetton.

Paddy Patterson, Jack O’Sullivan, John Hodnett, Jean Kleyn, Antoine Frisch and Joey Carbery were the Munster try-scorers as the province recovered from a strong Benetton start.

The game was in the balance right up to the final 10 minutes as Munster were under pressure for large spells of the second half but the province played some excellent rugby, and were clinical in attack, to clinch the victory.

It was another all-action performance from Hodnett, who was deservedly named Player of the Match.

It was a hugely important game for both sides and Benetton raced into an early 12-0 lead after some scintillating attacking play. After a midfield break, England international Jacob Umaga offloaded for Marco Zanon to score in the left corner with Umaga unlucky to see his conversion attempt come back off the post.

The Italian side were in for their second try when Rhyno Smith made a break after a reverse pass and fed winger Ignacio Mendy to score in the right corner. Umaga was on target this time and Benetton were flying.

Munster needed to steady the ship and responded when Joey Carbery whipped a pass out to Nash on the right wing and he chipped over Smith. After waiting patiently for the ball to pop up, Nash passed inside for Patterson to side step a defender and score under the posts after 16 minutes. Carbery converted to make it 12-7.

There was a rejig in the Munster backline when Nash picked up a knock after 20 minutes and was replaced by out-half Ben Healy with Carbery moving to full-back as Daly took Nash’s place on the wing .

Benetton were playing some great offloading rugby with Carbery making a vital tackle after another line break with O’Sullivan winning the turnover to relieve the pressure.

Munster hit the front for the first time on 30 minutes as Ben Healy’s flat pass put John Hodnett through a gap and he popped for O’Sullivan on his shoulder to score. Carbery’s conversion made it 14-12.

Umaga’s first penalty made it 15-14 to Benetton at the break with the game firmly in the balance.

Munster made the perfect start to the second half as Hodnett crossed in the left corner for a superb score. Good hands from Daly, Healy, Carbery and Coombes gave Hodnett space on the left wing and he dummied a pass inside to Patterson before finishing brilliantly.

He went in under the posts for good measure and Carbery’s conversion moved Munster 21-15 in front.

Healy was sin-binned after he was deemed to have knocked on deliberately when Umaga made a break with the resulting penalty reducing Munster’s lead to three points.

Despite being down to 14, Jean Kleyn got in for the bonus-point try on 50 minutes with the dancing feet of Roman Salanoa making great ground in the lead up. Carbery landed the tough conversion superbly to make it 28-18 with half an hour to play.

The Munster scrum was penalised on 55 minutes with Umaga kicking into our 22 as the 14 men of Munster defended. Just as Healy was about to return, replacement Diarmuid Barron was yellow-carded for cynical play yards from our line as Munster faced another 10 minutes down to 14.

Benetton took advantage of the extra man this time with Mendy in for his second try in the right corner after quick hands got the ball to the edge. Umaga’s touchline conversion was wide as Munster led 28-23 with 20 minutes to go.

Carbery’s 45-metre penalty shaved the post and dropped wide but the match-winning play came on 71 minutes.

Replacement Academy lock Cian Hurley blocked a Benetton kick in our 22 and Patterson whacked the clearance into the Benetton 22. Rhyno Smith got there first but Daly got in over the ball to win back possession and Healy’s perfectly judged crossfield kick for Frisch to score his first Munster try gave the province some breathing room.

Carbery couldn’t land the touchline conversion but Munster led 33-23 with seven minutes to go.

There was still time for two more tries as Healy’s delayed pass over the top gave Carbery a simple run-in with Carbery also converting before Mendy completed his hat-trick in the final play to give Benetton a four-try bonus-point.

URC Round 13 Round-Up

The victory in Italy is Munster’s final match of a 10-game block, our next game is against Ospreys on Friday, February 17, at Thomond Park.

Academy trio Mark Donnelly, Cian Hurley and Ruadhan Quinn all featured off the bench with Donnelly making his first appearance of the season.

Joey Carbery and Ben Healy made their 50th Munster appearances.

Niall Scannell captained Munster for the second time.

Fineen Wycherley played 80 minutes on his first appearance in almost four months.

Antoine Frisch scored his first try for Munster.

Munster: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash (inj, Ben Healy, 20), Antoine Frisch, Malakai Fekitoa (Rory Scannell, 72), Liam Coombes (Niall Scannell, 57-67); Joey Carbery, Paddy Patterson (Neil Cronin, 77); Josh Wycherley (Mark Donnelly, 72), Niall Scannell (C) (Diarmuid Barron, 55), Roman Salanoa (Stephen Archer, 55); Jean Kleyn (Cian Hurley, 55), Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Sullivan (Ruadhan Quinn, 72), John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.

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