RUGBY NEWS:CONNACHT HAVE decided to make their game against Ulster in round four of the Magners League on Saturday, September 25th, at the Sportsground, an all-ticket affair. Given the Sportsground has a capacity of just 5,000, the Connacht management have taken the step to avoid disappointment to fans showing up on the evening.
Season-ticket holders will not be affected, while tickets for the game can be purchased from Connacht Rugby or ticketmaster.ie.
Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat believes his team have “enough of a base” from last weekend’s defeat in Cardiff to feel confident ahead of tomorrow’s Magners League clash at home to Munster.
“We were clearly disappointed to lose against Cardiff, and the performance overall wasn’t good enough, but having watched the game back a number of times, I’m happier than I was immediately after full-time.”
Esteban Lozada, the Argentina lock, will make his competitive debut for Edinburgh against Munster at Murrayfield after recovering from a back injury.
Mark Robertson, Scott Newlands and Ross Rennie are the other changes from the side that lost away to Cardiff, with backrowers Alan MacDonald (hip) and Roddy Grant (swollen knee) sidelined. In Grant’s absence, Chris Paterson will captain the side.
Dave Foley will lead a strong-looking Munster A side on Sunday against Leinster in Donnybrook (2.30pm). Several players who have featured prominently in Munster’s opening senior games to date, such as Billy Holland, Ian Nagle, Tommy O’Donnell, Duncan Williams and Scott Deasy, are included, while James Coughlan returns following injury.
MUNSTER A SQUAD(v Leinster A): S Scanlon, L O'Dea, R O'Mahony, D Hurley, I Dineen, E Maloney, T Smith, S Zebo, C Murray, D Williams, S Deasy, D Hurley, S Archer, A Cotter, D Kilcoyne, S Henry, G Burke, D Foley, I Nagle, D O'Callaghan, B Holland, T O'Donnell, P Butler, J Coughlan.
EDINBURGH(v Munster, tomorrow): C Paterson (capt); M Robertson, B Cairns, A Grove, T Visser; P Godman, M Blair; A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross, E Lozada, S MacLeod, S Newlands, R Rennie, N Talei. Replacements: A Kelly, K Traynor, J Gilding, F McKenzie, S McInally, G Laidlaw, D Blair, J Houston.
