All You Need To Know | Munster v Benetton

17th March 2021 By The Editor

Darren Sweetnam was a try-scorer when Munster beat Benetton in January. Inpho

Munster face Benetton this weekend looking to increase their winning run to six games and close out the Guinness PRO14 regular season with 14 victories in 16 matches.

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

Where?

Thomond Park

When?

Friday, March 19 at 6pm

Broadcast

Live on TG4, eir Sport 1, Premier Sports 1, DAZN, Super Sport (SA), ESPN+ (USA) & pro14.tv.

Match Programme

The official matchday programme will be available to download for free on Friday.

Munster News

Team Announcement

Gallery | Training Pics

CJ Stander Statement

Champions Cup Fixture Details

Squad Update

This Week At Munster Rugby

Teams

Munster: Jake Flannery; Andrew Conway, Alex McHenry, Rory Scannell, Liam Coombes; JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson; Liam O’Connor, Diarmuid Barron, Keynan Knox; Cian Hurley, Thomas Ahern; Jack O’Donoghue (C), Chris Cloete, Jack O’Sullivan.

Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Jeremy Loughman, Roman Salanoa, Jack Daly, Tommy O’Donnell, Nick McCarthy, Ben Healy, Matt Gallagher.

Benetton Rugby: Jayden Hayward; Ratuva Tavuyara, Joaquin Riera, Luca Morisi, Angelo Esposito; Tommaso Allan, Dewaldt Duvenage (C); Nicola Quaglio, Tomas Baravalle, Filippo Alongi; Irné Herbst, Eli Snyman; Alberto Sgarbi, Manuel Zuliani, Giovanni Pettinelli.

Replacements: Corniel Els, Thomas Gallo, Tiziano Pasquali, Nicola Piantella, Marco Barbini, Luca Petrozzi, Tommaso Benvenuti, Leonardo Sarto

Did you know?

Hollie Davidson will take charge of her first Guinness PRO14 match this weekend after the Scottish match official was appointed to the Round 16 game between Munster Rugby and Benetton Rugby.

Additionally, Joy Neville (IRFU) will serve as Television Match Official for this ground-breaking game which will make this the first fixture in a top-tier men’s professional club rugby that both the referee and TMO roles are filled by female officials.

Preview

This game kicks off a big three weeks for the province as Benetton visit Thomond Park ahead of next Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 final against Leinster with Toulouse then visiting Limerick in the Champions Cup knockout stages.

Benetton were the last Italian team to beat Munster in any competition seven-and-a-half years ago. Despite having come close to beating a number of sides, Benetton have yet to register a win this season in the PRO14.

It took a last-gasp drop goal from JJ Hanrahan to give a much-changed Munster side an 18-16 victory away to Benetton at the end of January.

The Munstermen extended their winning run in the PRO14 to five games with last Friday’s 28-10 victory over Scarlets thanks to tries from Gavin Coombes, Shane Daly, Niall Scannell and Kevin O’Byrne.

Benetton were in sight of a first victory of the PRO14 season on Sunday when they took an 11-point lead approaching half-time, only to succumb to a 29-14 defeat against the Cardiff Blues.