Munster Team to Face Gloucester

There is just one change on the Munster team, from the side that defeated Neath, for Saturday’s Heineken Cup opener against Gloucester at Kingsholm (15.00).

There just one change on the Munster team, from the side that defeated Neath, for Saturday’s Heineken Cup opener against Gloucester at Kingsholm (15.00).

An injury to Donncha O’Callaghan rules him out and his place goes to Mick Galwey with Edddie Halvey coming onto the bench. With the exception of O’Callaghan, Munster coach Alan Gaffney has kept faith with the side that won 35-19 at The Courage Gnoll said, ” Donncha took a blow to the jaw and has sustained a fracture which isn’t as bad as we first feared. Besides that I don’t really think there was much debate amongst us about the formation of the side for Saturday after that performance in Wales. We had some close calls in selecting the side for Neath and there were players I believed were unlucky to lose out. But then the guys go out and put in a performance like they did and you just leave well enough alone.”

It is he continued, “a situation that vindicates the squad we picked at the start of the year. When some players weren’t available there were others ready willing and able to take their places. As I’ve said before any of those on bench would fit seamlessly into this side and the same applies to those who didn’t make the bench.”

Gaffney expects Saturday’s game to be ” as tough a game as these boys are likely to face all season. This is a real good Gloucester outfit. A physical side and I mean that in the positive sense, with loads of pace both up front and out wide. They’ve the same passionate support that Munster enjoy at home and right now they’re on a roll. Yes it’s going to be tough, but I’m really looking forward to it and I know the boys are too. I’m quite happy about where we are as a squad right now. And that’s what it’s all about being a squad. We’ll win together, we lose together, we’ll compete together, we’ll enjoy ourseles together.”

Since losing 42-34 to Natal Sharks in South Africa at the beginning of August, Gloucester have been unbeaten in eight games. They’ve had away wins in the Zurich Premiership at Harlequins and Newcastle and drew with Bath (21-21) at The Recreation ground a fortnight ago. Last weekend they put 44 points on Wayne ‘Buck’ Shelford’s Saracens, scoring five tries, four in the second half.

The last time they competed in the Heineken Cup was in 2000/01, when they topped Pool 5, beat Llanelli in the quarter-final and lost the semi-final.

Munster Team to Face Cloucester:

Jeremy Staunton, John Kelly, Mike Mullins, Rob Henderson, Mossie Lawlor, Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer, Marcus Horan, Frank Sheahan, John Hayes, Mick Galwey, Mick O’Driscoll, Jim Williams (Capt), Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley,

Replacements: Simon Kerr, James Blaney, Eddie Halvey, Denis Leamy, Mike Prendergast, Jason Holland, Dominic Crotty.

Munster v Gloucester – Heineken Cup

Kick-off: Saturday, October 12th, 15:00 (GMT) Venue: Kingsholm, Gloucester, England.

Live Commentary will be available on Munsterrugby.ie from 15.00!