All You Need To Know | Munster v Cheetahs

The top two teams after two rounds of the Guinness PRO14 clash on Friday evening as Conference A leaders Cheetahs take on Conference B table-toppers Munster at the Toyota Stadium (5.15pm Irish time/6.15pm local time).

The game is being broadcast by eir Sport 1, Premier Sports 1, Super Sport 6 and DAZN.

Team Line-Ups

Cheetahs: Rhyno Smith; William Small-Smith, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Louis Fouche, Anthony Volmink; Tian Schoeman, Ruan Pienaar (C); Ox Nche, Joseph Dweba, Luan de Bruin; Sintu Manjezi, Walt Steenkamp; Gerhard Olivier, Junior Pokomela, Henco Venter.

Replacements: Reinach Venter, Boan Venter, Neethling Fouche, JP du Preez, Sias Koen, Jasper Wiese, Tian Meyer, Clayton Blommetjies.

Munster: Mike Haley; Darren Sweetnam, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Tyler Bleyendaal, Nick McCarthy; Jeremy Loughman, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Billy Holland (C); Jack O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell, Arno Botha.

Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, James Cronin, Keynan Knox, Darren O’Shea, Gavin Coombes, Alby Mathewson, JJ Hanrahan, Calvin Nash.

Preview

Friday’s game will be played at altitude in Bloemfontein with the Munster squad travelling to the area from Johannesburg on Thursday.

Both sides have secured two bonus-point wins in their first two games with Munster accounting for Dragons at Thomond Park and Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.

Cheetahs, off the back of winning the Currie Cup, have made an incredible start to the season as they followed up an opening day 48-14 victory over Glasgow Warriors with last week’s 63-36 win over Ulster.

Cheetahs scrum-half Ruan Pienaar leads the PRO14 scoring charts with 30 points. Munster out-half JJ Hanrahan is third in the point-scoring table and has amassed 25 points in two appearances with 11 of his 12 kicks at goal on target.

Cheetahs have won their last four Guinness PRO14 encounters but Munster have won all seven previous fixtures against South African opponents in the PRO14.

Cheetahs Head Coach Franco Smith takes charge of his team for the final time before he leaves to take up a new position with the Italian national side.

A Word From The Head Coach

Ahead of the game, Johann van Graan said: “This week is going to be even more difficult with the conditions and temperatures, playing at altitude against the Cheetahs.

“They are a team on form, and have been excellent in the Currie Cup. In the PRO14 so far they have dispatched Glasgow and Ulster comfortably at home, and hopefully we can learn from those games.

“From our point of view we have to focus on ourselves, and we’ve enough to work on following Saturday’s game against Southern Kings.”

Highlights | Southern Kings v Munster

Match Officials

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Assistant Referees: Griffin Colby, Paul Mente (both SARU)

TMO: Lourens van der Merve (SARU)

Next Home Game

Friday, October 25

Guinness PRO14: Munster v Ospreys, Irish Independent Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here (Save money by purchasing online, gate prices are increasing this season)