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Team Named | Munster Side To Face Lions In Cork

January 5, 2023 11:58 am By The Editor

John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes start in the Munster pack. Inpho

The Munster team has been named for Friday night’s vital URC clash against Emirates Lions at Musgrave Park (7.35pm).

€20 match tickets & €40 Family Packs of 4 tickets are on sale here. There are less than 800 tickets remaining for the game.

There are six personnel changes and three positional switches to the side that beat Ulster in Belfast four days ago.

Jack O’Donoghue captains the side and makes his 15th appearance of the campaign having featured in every game so far this season.

Rory Scannell, Liam Coombes, Ben Healy, Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron and John Hodnett are all drafted into the starting XV.

Malakai Fekitoa moves to outside centre as Gavin Coombes joins the second row and Alex Kendellen moves to no.8.

Mike Haley starts at full-back with Shane Daly and Liam Coombes on either flank. Liam makes his first appearance since September after recently returning from injury.

Scannell and Fekitoa start in midfield with Paddy Patterson and Healy resuming their half-back partnership having last started together against South Africa A at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Wycherley, Barron and Roman Salanoa start in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Gavin Coombes in the engine room.

Captain Jack O’Donoghue, Hodnett and Kendellen complete the side.

Greencore Munster Rugby Academy duo Cian Hurley and Patrick Campbell are included on the bench.

Dan Goggin joins the replacements and is in line for his first appearance since September.

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

Munster: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Malakai Fekitoa, Rory Scannell, Liam Coombes; Ben Healy, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Roman Salanoa; Jean Kleyn, Gavin Coombes; Jack O’Donoghue (C), John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Dave Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Cian Hurley, Jack O’Sullivan, Conor Murray, Dan Goggin, Patrick Campbell.

Press Pass

Hear from Shane Daly and Forwards Coach Andi Kyriacou ahead of the game.

Champions Cup Tickets

Saturday, January 14

Munster Rugby v Northampton Saints, Thomond Park, 3.15pm; Buy tickets here

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Report

Report | Bonus-Point Win For Munster Over Lions In Cork

January 6, 2023 9:57 pm By The Editor

Liam Coombes celebrates with team-mates after scoring the bonus-point try. Inpho

Munster clinched a hard-fought bonus-point win over the Lions at a sold-out Musgrave Park on Friday night in very difficult conditions.

The tries came from Scott Buckley (two), Jack O’Donoghue, Paddy Patterson & Liam Coombes with Ben Healy adding four conversions.

Munster led 12-3 at half-time having played against the wind and driving rain in the opening 40 minutes.

The conditions calmed in the final quarter and Munster pushed on to clinch the bonus-point on 75 minutes as a brilliant individual score from Liam Coombes secured all five points.

Jordan Hendrikse kicked Lions into the lead after six minutes when Munster were pinged at the breakdown.

Munster responded with the first try on 10 minutes as the pack patiently mauled over with Buckley touching down after Healy had kicked superbly to the corner.

Lions had the scrum dominance and were putting huge pressure on the Munster pack but the hosts did well to survive an onslaught after conceding a number of scrum penalties, eventually winning a turnover.

Munster were in for their second try on 28 minutes as O’Donoghue charged through the middle of a ruck before offloading to Paddy Patterson with O’Donoghue scoring off the base of a ruck a few phases later.

Healy’s conversion made it 12-3 at the break.

Alex Kendellen was held up over the line after a Malakai Fekitoa offload to Mike Haley in another promising Munster attack.

Patterson showed his pace to break through the middle of a ruck on 49 minutes and race in for his second try in as many games with Healy making it 19-3.

Ben Healy made a vital tackle on Edwill van der Merwe as Lions looked dangerous on the counter attack with Kendellen in to win a turnover and relieve the pressure.

The Lions’ scrum dominance continued but a knock-on spoiled a promising attack. Conor Murray got Munster back into Lions territory with a perfectly judged clearing kick before fellow replacement Dan Goggin made an important tackle on 72 minutes to win a penalty as Healy kicked to the corner.

The lineout went astray but when Lions looked to chip over the Munster defence, Liam Coombes gathered the loose ball and broke a tackle before a slaloming run saw him score a thrilling bonus-point try on 75 minutes.

Healy converted and Buckley rounded off the win with a second maul try in the final play with Healy converting both as Munster move up to fifth in the table.

URC Round 12 Round-Up

John Hodnett was named BKT URC Player of the Match.

The game was an 8,008 sell-out.

Munster move up to fifth in the table ahead of the weekend’s other action.

Diarmuid Barron (shoulder) and Josh Wycherley (ribs) both departed with knocks and will be assessed by the medical department.

Munster: Mike Haley (Patrick Campbell, 54); Shane Daly, Malakai Fekitoa, Rory Scannell (Dan Goggin, 59), Liam Coombes; Ben Healy, Paddy Patterson (Conor Murray, 58); Josh Wycherley (Dave Kilcoyne, 32), Diarmuid Barron (inj, Scott Buckley, 4), Roman Salanoa (Stephen Archer, 44); Jean Kleyn (Cian Hurley, 56), Gavin Coombes; Jack O’Donoghue (C), John Hodnett (72), Alex Kendellen.