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Team Named | Munster Side To Face Toulouse At The Aviva

May 6, 2022 11:59 am By The Editor

Peter O’Mahony captains Munster with Stephen Archer set for a landmark appearance. Inpho

The Munster side has been named for Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium (3pm).

Ticket sales for the game passed the 37,500 mark on Friday afternoon and tickets will be available to purchase online up to kick-off here.

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

Peter O’Mahony captains the side with Stephen Archer starting at tighthead prop on his 247th Munster appearance. Archer moves level with Billy Holland in second place on the province’s all-time list of appearance holders, behind Donncha O’Callaghan (268).

Mike Haley starts at full-back with Keith Earls and Simon Zebo on either flank.

Damian de Allende and Chris Farrell form the centre partnership with Conor Murray and Joey Carbery in the half-backs.

Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell and Archer pack down in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Fineen Wycherley in the engine room.

O’Mahony, Greencore Munster Rugby Academy man Alex Kendellen and Jack O’Donoghue complete the starting XV.

Flanker Jack Daly is among the replacements and in line to make his European debut on his sixth Munster appearance. A native of Currans in Kerry, Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen.

Munster: Mike Haley; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Simon Zebo; Joey Carbery, Conor Murray; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Peter O’Mahony (C), Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Jason Jenkins, Thomas Ahern, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Jack Daly.

Munster A face Ulster A at 3pm today with team news here.

Highlights | Munster’s Road To The Champions Cup Quarter-Final

Press Pass

Hear from Head Coach Johann van Graan, Jack O’Donoghue and Damian de Allende ahead of the game.

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Munster Lose Place-Kicking Competition As Toulouse Advance

May 7, 2022 7:01 pm By The Editor

Head Coach Johann van Graan speaks to the players before extra-time. Inpho

Munster exited the Heineken Champions Cup at the quarter-final stage as Toulouse earned a place in the semi-finals after a place-kicking competition.

The sides finished level at 24-all after 80 minutes with no scores in the 20 minutes of extra-time that followed.

Peter O’Mahony was Player of the Match with Munster producing a superb team display. Greencore Munster Rugby Academy man Alex Kendellen, Keith Earls and Mike Haley scored the Munster tries with Joey Carbery kicking three conversions and a penalty.

Ben Healy, Carbery and Conor Murray were Munster’s nominated trio for the place-kicking competition but Toulouse were faultless off the tee to progress as Healy and Murray were off target.

A fantastic attendance of 40,479 made the Aviva a sea of red with a fantastic atmosphere for the 100 minutes.

Munster started well with Kendellen showing his trademark power to score the first try after nine minutes with the score confirmed by the TMO. Carbery converted for a 7-0 lead but Toulouse replied immediately with Romain Ntamack scoring after a Thomas Ramos break in midfield.

The Toulouse pack had the upper hand in the scrum and won a number of penalties. From one scrum penalty advantage, they spread the ball to the right flank for Mathias Lebel to touch down. Ramos converted to make it 14-7 after 25 minutes.

The game was level at the break as Earls scored in the right corner with great hands in the build-up from Josh Wycherley, Chris Farrell and Carbery, who converted from the touchline to make it 14-all.

A superb Chris Farrell break on 43 minutes led to the third Munster try as he raced clear of the defence before passing outside for Haley, who did very well to ground the ball under pressure.

Toulouse had a let-off on 50 minutes when Rory Arnold was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle on Simon Zebo that could have been red.

Farrell was then taken out off the ball to give Munster the penalty and Carbery made it 24-14 with 57 minutes played.

Back to 15 for the final quarter, Toulouse started to turn the screw. Munster looked to have all the answers before Libel raced through after a clever move off a lineout. Ramos kicked the conversion to make it 24-21 with 14 minutes to go.

When Toulouse won a scrum penalty on 74 minutes, Ramos made no mistake to level the scores at 24-all. Ben Healy had a 56-metre penalty opportunity in the final play but it was off target and we went to extra-time.

Both sides had attempts at drop-goals during the two 10-minute periods of extra-time but defences were mainly on top.

The score remained 24-24 after 100 minutes with Toulouse trio Antoin Dupont, Romain Ntamack and Thomas Ramos perfect off the tee to secure a semi-final place.

Munster: Mike Haley (HIA, Ben Healy, 71); Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Simon Zebo (HIA/Blood, Conor Murray, 96); Joey Carbery, Conor Murray (Craig Casey, 59); Josh Wycherley (Jeremy Loughman, 54), Niall Scannell (Diarmuid Barron, 54), Stephen Archer (John Ryan, 50); Jean Kleyn (Jason Jenkins, 59), Fineen Wycherley (Thomas Ahern, 71); Peter O’Mahony (C) (inj, Jack Daly, 64), Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue.