Bookended by two weeks of European Champions Cup either side, Munster coach Johann van Graan has tailored his side as much for next week as for Edinburgh’s visit just as the Scottish team welcomes back two of their World Cup players Stuart McInally and Hamish Watson.
Van Graan has made 15 changes to the side that dramatically drew with Racing 92 last weekend with Garryowen outhalf Ben Healy making his first Pro14 start. Outhalf JJ Hanrahan is on the bench, Tyler Bleyendaal is not involved and Joey Carbery still unavailable due to injury.
It means there are opportunities all round as the Munster World Cup players lie low before back-to-back matches against Saracens in Limerick and Allianz Park.
Healy, a former Nenagh Ormond and Glenstal Abbey player, who guided the school to their first Munster Senior Cup earlier this year, was also a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland Under-20s. It is an interesting pick by van Graan but not unexpected. Healy has been on the radar for some time.
A string of eye-catching performances where he has played with a natural authority has generated significant excitement about his future with Munster wasting little time in getting him into their academy system once he had completed his Leaving Certificate last summer.
Stark contrast
Healy plays opposite former South African schools outhalf Jaco van der Walt, who passed the 250-point mark for the club in last weekend’s European tie, setting up a stark contrast of young talent against experience. Healy is partnered by former Leinster scrumhalf Nick McCarthy.
Jack O’Donoghue captains the side with Shane Daly at fullback and Calvin Nash and Alex Wootton named on either flank. Dan Goggin and Sammy Arnold are the centre pairing.
Liam O’Connor, Rhys Marshall and Archer pack down in the frontrow with Fineen Wycherley and Darren O’Shea in the engine room. O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell and Arno Botha are a strong backrow.
Edinburgh captain and hooker McInally makes his first appearance of the season, while Watson is again fit following an injury he sustained against Ireland in the opening match of the World Cup. They are the only additions to the side as Head Coach Richard Cockerill names an otherwise unchanged starting team against the Conference B leaders.
“It’s great to have Hamish and Stuart back representing Edinburgh Rugby,” said Cockerill. “They are both special players who are match winners in their own right. It’s a big boost for the club to have them once again available for selection. We are looking for a reaction after dropping points at home against Bordeaux last weekend, and the squad will be hungry to put in a quality performance”
The rest of the team are also seasoned players, deliberately selected by Cockerill for the trip to Cork. Munster have a challenge ahead.
MUNSTER: S Daly; C Nash, S Arnold, D Goggin, A Wootton; B Healy, N McCarthy; L O'Connor, R Marshall, S Archer; F Wycherley, D O'Shea; J O'Donoghue (capt), T O'Donnell, A Botha. Replacements: K O'Byrne, J Cronin, K Knox, J Holloway, C Oliver, N Cronin, JJ Hanrahan, R Scannell.
EDINBURGH: B Kinghorn; E Sau, M Bennett, M Scott, D van der Merwe; J van der Walt, H Pyrgos; P Schoeman, S McInally (capt), P Ceccarelli, B Toolis, G Gilchrist, M Bradbury, H Watson, V Mata Replacements: M Willemse, R Sutherland, S Berghan, L Carmichael, A Miller, C Shiel S Hickey, G Taylor.
Referee: M Mitrea (FIR).
Verdict: Edinburgh.
