Munster A Team Named For Nottingham Clash

Head Coach Peter Malone has named the Munster A team for tomorrow night’s British & Irish Cup clash against Nottingham at Ladybay with seven Greencore Munster Rugby Academy players included in the squad (7.45pm).

Calvin Nash and Fineen Wycherley, who will both move up to development contracts next season, are among the starters. Full contract news.

Current B&I Cup holders Munster lie second in pool one, two points behind Bedford Blues, and beat Nottingham 38-7 at Irish Independent Park in October.

The English Championship side are coached by former Munster Assistant Coach Ian Costello and will be keen to reverse that result tomorrow night.

Dave Johnston captains the team from full-back with Nash and Stephen Fitzgerald on the wings.

An exciting partnership of Dave McCarthy and Ireland 7s international Shane Daly start in the centre with James Hart at scrum-half and Bill Johnston at out-half.

Jeremy Loughman, Mike Sherry and Brian Scott form the front row. Wycherley is partnered by summer addition Gerbrandt Grobler in the second row as the South African returns from an injury sustained against Worcester Warriors in pre-season to make his Munster A debut.

Conor Oliver, Man of the Match in the Guinness PRO14 win over Connacht last Saturday night, is joined in the back row by Sean O’Connor and no.8 Gavin Coombes.

Hooker Duncan Casey and prop Ciaran Parker make up the front row replacements with Sean McCarthy and John Foley providing further forward cover.

John Poland, Conor Fitzgerald and Ronan O’Mahony – who could see his first action since recovering from a long-term injury – complete the replacements.

Munster A: Dave Johnston (C); Calvin Nash, Shane Daly, Dave McCarthy, Stephen Fitzgerald; Bill Johnston, James Hart; Jeremy Loughman, Mike Sherry, Brian Scott; Fineen Wycherley, Gerbrandt Grobler; Sean O’Connor, Conor Oliver, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Duncan Casey, Ciaran Parker, Sean McCarthy, John Foley, John Poland, Conor Fitzgerald, Ronan O’Mahony.

Friday, January 12

British and Irish Cup: Nottingham v Munster, Ladybay, 7.45pm;