All You Need To Know | Ospreys v Munster

20th February 2019 By The Editor

Chris Cloete in action against Ospreys earlier this season.

Munster travel to Swansea this weekend for the first of two away games in Wales as the province take on Ospreys in the Guinness PRO14 on Friday night at the Liberty Stadium (7.35pm, live on eir Sport, TG4 and Premier Sports).

Check out the best pics from training this week here.

Read the latest squad update here.

The clash is the standout fixture from Round 16 as Ospreys look to get back to winning ways at the Liberty where they boast a formidable home record.

The Welsh side have lost only once at the venue in the Guinness PRO14 since November 2017, a 29-20 loss to Glasgow last November.

An 8-0 reversal at the hands of Ulster at Brewery Field in Bridgend last weekend will give the Ospreys extra motivation to get back to winning ways on their home patch on Friday night.

Led by former Ireland international Allen Clarke, Ospreys are just four points off the play-off places with six games remaining.

Munster go into the game top of Guinness PRO14 Conference A with a slender two-point lead over second-placed Glasgow Warriors.

Johann van Graan’s side have won their last six games in all competitions with last Friday’s 43-0 win over Southern Kings played in front of a full house at Irish Independent Park.

The province face two extremely tough tests over the next two weekends as they travel to face Ospreys on Friday and Scarlets the following weekend.

Team Line-Ups

Ospreys: Dan Evans; Hanno Dirksen, Cory Allen, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, Keelan Giles; Luke Price, Matthew Aubrey; Jordan Lay, Scott Baldwin, Tom Botha; James King, Bradley Davies; Olly Cracknell (C), Sam Cross, Rob McCusker.

Replacements: Scott Otten, Rowan Jenkins, Ma’afu Fia, Lloyd Ashley, Will Griffiths, Reuben Morgan-Williams, James Hook, Luke Morgan.

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Dan Goggin, Jaco Taute, Darren Sweetnam; JJ Hanrahan, Neil Cronin; Jeremy Loughman, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland (C); Fineen Wycherley, Chris Cloete, Arno Botha.

Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Liam O’Connor, Ciaran Parker, Darren O’Shea, Jack O’Donoghue, Alby Mathewson, Bill Johnston, Rory Scannell.

Press Pass

Munster Head Coach Johann van Graan, Darren Sweetnam and Fineen Wycherley look ahead to Friday’s clash against Ospreys.

Match Officials

Referee: Stuart Berry (SARU, 21st competition game)

Assistant Referees: Adam Jones (WRU) & Manuel Bottino (FIR)

TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)

Upcoming Home Games

March

Sat, March 23 – Guinness PRO14: Munster v Zebre, Thomond Park, 7.45pm; Early Bird Closes 5pm on Wed, March 6 – Buy tickets here

April

Fri, April 5 – Guinness PRO14: Munster v Cardiff Blues, Irish Independent Park, 7.35pm; Early Bird Closes 5pm on Wed, March 20 – Buy tickets here

Sat, April 27 – Guinness PRO14: Munster v Connacht, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Early Bird Closes 5pm on Wed, March 20 – Buy tickets here