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Team Named | Munster Side For Sharks Season-Opener

October 20, 2023 12:01 pm By The Editor

Ethan Coughlan makes his first start for Munster. Inpho

The Munster team has been named for the URC opener against Sharks at Thomond Park on Saturday (5.15pm).

Match tickets are available here. Please note, screenshots of mobile tickets are no longer valid, full details here.

Academy scrum-half Ethan Coughlan makes his first start for the province and is one of five Academy players included. Edwin Edogbo also starts with Kieran Ryan, Brian Gleeson and Shay McCarthy in line for their senior debuts off the bench.

Andrew Conway starts on his 150^th Munster appearance and features in his first competitive fixture since June 2022 after recovering from a knee injury.

Josh Wycherley will make his 50th Munster appearance in the front row with new signing Alex Nankivell among the replacements after arriving from New Zealand last weekend.

Shane Daly starts at full-back with Conway and Calvin Nash on either wing.

Rory Scannell and Antoine Frisch form the midfield partnership with Coughlan and Joey Carbery in the half-backs.

Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron and Stephen Archer pack down in the front row with Edogbo and Fineen Wycherley in the engine room.

Captain Jack O’Donoghue, Alex Kendellen and Gavin Coombes complete the side.

Scott Buckley, Kieran Ryan and John Ryan provide the front row back-up.

Tom Ahern is set for his first competitive appearance in a year after a shoulder injury sidelined him for a number of months last season.

Gleeson completes the forward cover after scoring two tries against the Barbarians on his first senior appearance last month.

Neil Cronin, Nankivell and McCarthy are the backline replacements with McCarthy also among the tries on his first senior start against the Barbarians during pre-season.

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

Munster: Shane Daly; Andrew Conway, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Calvin Nash; Joey Carbery, Ethan Coughlan; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer; Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (C), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Kieran Ryan, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Brian Gleeson, Neil Cronin, Alex Nankivell, Shay McCarthy.

Watch our first interviews with Ethan Coughlan, Edwin Edogbo, Kieran Ryan, Brian Gleeson and Shay McCarthy below.

Introducing The Academy

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Report

Report | Munster Make Perfect Start To Season

October 21, 2023 7:57 pm By The Editor

Alex Kendellen runs at the Sharks defence. Inpho

Munster made the perfect start to the season with a five-try victory over Sharks at Thomond Park.

Edwin Edogbo, Diarmuid Barron, Antoine Frisch, Andrew Conway & Ethan Coughlan scored the tries with Player of the Match Joey Carbery adding nine points off the tee.

Six Academy players featured as Edogbo and Coughlan scored their first Munster tries. Shay McCarthy, Kieran Ryan and Brian Gleeson made their senior debuts with Fionn Gibbons also featuring off the bench.

Calvin Nash was a late withdrawal for McCarthy and Sharks enjoyed the better of a stop-start opening quarter.

Shane Daly, Diarmuid Barron and Joey Carbery all made try-saving tackles before Munster started moving through the gears and Edogbo stretched to score on 20 minutes on the province’s first serious foray into Sharks territory.

Carbery slotted the conversion and Munster were really motoring on 26 minutes when Carbery offloaded to Alex Kendellen, who fed Barron on his shoulder to race over for the second try. Carbery was again on target as Munster led 14-0.

Edogbo won a big turnover as Sharks threatened and the visitors were back in it when Werner Kok scored in the right corner after a Curwin Bosch break. Bosch converted from the touchline to make it 14-7.

A vital Antoine Frisch try on the stroke of half-time gave Munster breathing room after good link-up play between Carbery and Conway as the centre chipped over the defence and managed to ground the bouncing ball ahead of the retreating defenders.

Carbery was on the spot to make it 21-7 at the break with Munster halfway home.

Munster had the upper hand at the start of the second half and Carbery slotted a penalty to increase the lead.

Sharks showed great heart to battle back and Cameron Wright did brilliantly to kick a 50:22 and then take the quick lineout with Rohan Janse van Rensburg eventually scoring. Bosch’s conversion made it 24-14 after 49 minutes.

Barron came up with a huge turnover five yards out after the Sharks spread the ball right and Kok nearly got in for his second try.

Cameron Wright was sin-binned for a high tackle on Shane Daly after 64 minutes to open the door for Munster to get the bonus-point try.

The pack looked to maul over twice before swinging it wide with Shay McCarthy stopped just short. The pressure finally told when Nankivell floated a pass for Andrew Conway to score his 50th Munster try on his 150th Munster appearance.

Coughlan put the icing on the cake with the bonus-point try late on showing great pace to score in the left corner off a Frisch pass.

Aphelele Fassi scored late on for Sharks but the home crowd went home happy after a good night’s work.

URC Round 1 Round-Up

6 Munster Rugby Academy players featured as Shay McCarthy, Kieran Ryan and Brian Gleeson made their senior debuts.

Academy duo Edwin Edogbo and Ethan Coughlan scored their first Munster tries.

New signing Alex Nankivell made his Munster debut.

Andrew Conway scored his 50th Munster try on his 150th appearance.

Tom Ahern made his first appearance in 12 months after missing a number of months due to injury last season.

Calvin Nash was removed from the starting XV due to a niggle and will be assessed on Monday.

Munster: Shane Daly; Andrew Conway, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell (Alex Nankivell, 62), Shay McCarthy (Fionn Gibbons, 68) (Ethan Coughlan, 76); Joey Carbery, Ethan Coughlan (Neil Cronin, 70) ; Josh Wycherley (Kieran Ryan, 71), Diarmuid Barron (Scott Buckley, 68), Stephen Archer (John Ryan, 62); Edwin Edogbo (Tom Ahern, 55), Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (C), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes (Brian Gleeson, 70).