Official Newsletter

Team Named | Munster Side To Face Zebre

November 29, 2020 11:50 am By The Editor

Jack Daly, the Castleisland RFC and Garryowen FC man, is named in his first Guinness PRO14 23. Inpho

The Munster side has been named for Monday’s Round 8 Guinness PRO14 game against Zebre at Thomond Park (8.15pm – live on eir Sport 1 and Premier Sports 2).

Head Coach Johann van Graan includes five Greencore Munster Rugby Academy players in his match day 23. Prop Josh Wycherley makes his second start of the campaign while Thomas Ahern, Jack Daly, Ben Healy and Seán French are named in the replacements.

Both Daly and French will make their Guinness PRO14 debuts if called upon.

In making eight changes to the side that secured an away bonus point win against Glasgow Chris Cloete returns from neck injury to make his second start of the season. He and Jack O’Donoghue flank Gavin Coombes in the back row. Coombes makes his fifth start in a row after back-to-back Guinness Player of the Match performances.

Fineen Wycherley makes the positional move to the second row alongside captain Billy Holland while younger brother Josh and hooker Rhys Marshall join Stephen Archer in the front row.

The half back pairing switches up this week with Nick McCarthy making his first start of the season as JJ Hanrahan returns to the number ten jersey.

There is a new centre pairing with Dan Goggin lining up outside Damian de Allende, as winger Darren Sweetnam is added to the left wing with Calvin Nash continuing on the opposite flank.

Matt Gallagher moves to full back.

Prop Liam O’Connor returns from a calf injury to take his place on the bench for his first inclusion since December 2019.

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

Munster: Matt Gallagher; Calvin Nash, Dan Goggin, Damian de Allende, Darren Sweetnam; JJ Hanrahan, Nick McCarthy; Josh Wycherley, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Billy Holland (c); Jack O’Donoghue, Chris Cloete, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Liam O’Connor, Keynan Knox, Thomas Ahern, Jack Daly, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Seán French.

Video | Press Pass

Hear from Munster Rugby Forwards Coach Graham Rowntree and Matt Gallagher as they spoke to the media this week ahead of Monday Night Rugby against Zebre at Thomond Park.

Introducing the Academy | Jack Daly

Introducing the Academy | Seán French

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Report

Report | Eight-Try Munster Continue Winning Start

November 30, 2020 10:05 pm By The Editor

The Munster squad celebrate Dan Goggin's opening try. Inpho

Munster have started the season with seven wins in a row thanks to a dominant bonus-point victory over Zebre at Thomond Park on Monday night.

The province are now 16 points clear at the top of Guinness PRO14 Conference B, although third-placed Connacht do have two games in hand.

Dan Goggin, Damian de Allende, Darren Sweetnam, JJ Hanrahan, debutant Seán French, Craig Casey and Thomas Ahern all touched down with the Munster pack also earning a penalty try off a rolling maul.

Hanrahan was named Guinness Player of the Match after an excellent display.

A late change to the Munster side saw Academy lock Ahern make his first start as a groin strain ruled out Fineen Wycherley with Tommy O’Donnell added to the replacements.

A superb JJ chip over the top was finished off by Goggin for the first try on eight minutes with Zebre replying through a Paolo Pescetto penalty five minutes later.

Matt Gallagher looked to have scored the second try off another JJ chip but he knocked on before touching down and had to be replaced after landing awkwardly on his shoulder.

Sweetnam moved to full-back with Seán French coming on for his debut on the wing after 20 minutes.

The province were in again when Coombes offloaded for de Allende to score from close-range.

The Munster pack were dominant in the scrum and a rolling maul led to a penalty try after 36 minutes with Lorenzo Masselli shown a yellow card.

Goggin burst through a gap in midfield just before the break and passed for the supporting Sweetnam to secure the bonus-point try to make it 28-3 at half-time.

Hanrahan scored the try of the match on 43 minutes as he played a superb one-two with Goggin and then another one-two with Nick McCarthy before diving over.

De Allende scored his second minutes later but the try was chalked off as Jack O’Donoghue was adjudged to have obstructed in the build-up.

Munster scored their sixth try on 56 minutes as a brilliant Coombes offload released Hanrahan and he passed for French to finish expertly in the left corner for his debut try.

Replacement Craig Casey and Ahern scored late on to cap off the victory with Ahern’s score his first try for the province.

Guinness PRO14 Round 8 Round-Up

Five Greencore Munster Rugby Academy players played their part with debuts for try-scorer Seán French and Jack Daly as Thomas Ahern also marked his first start with his first try.

Liam O’Connor made his first appearance since December 2019, returning from a calf injury.

Matt Gallagher was withdrawn in the first half with a shoulder injury and will undergo a scan.

JJ Hanrahan was named Guinness Player of the Match.

Munster: Matt Gallagher (inj, Seán French, 20); Calvin Nash, Dan Goggin, Damian de Allende (Ben Healy, 55), Darren Sweetnam; JJ Hanrahan, Nick McCarthy (Craig Casey, 74); Josh Wycherley (Liam O’Connor, 61), Rhys Marshall (Diarmuid Barron, 61), Stephen Archer (Keynan Knox, 57); Thomas Ahern, Billy Holland (C); Jack O’Donoghue, Chris Cloete (Tommy O’Donnell, 57), Gavin Coombes (Jack Daly, 57).