Much-changed Munster hope new faces push them to victory at end of difficult week
URC: Munster v Bulls, Thomond P a rk, S a turd a y, 7.45pm – Live on Premier Sports 1 It’s been a tumultuous week for Munster , even before it was announced that chief executive Ian Flanagan is to step down . Resilience will be a key component on the pitch in Saturday evening’s home URC match against Bulls. Last week’s defeat , the ensuing injury legacy and boardroom kerfuffle have provided a hotch-potch of concerns, some of which are easy to address, while others are less relevant to head coach Clayton McMillan and his players. A priority is to shut out the external noise. The only thing the players and coaches can materially affect in the short-term is the quality of performances. And that’s where all the focus should be directed to find solutions and not fixate on problems, especially those beyond their ken. It’s easier said than done, but that’s part of the challenge. McMillan has made 11 changes, some enforced because of injuries to the likes of Alex Nankivell and Diarmuid Barron, while others are made on form. “We have made [several] changes this week with players earning their opportunity to start off the back of what they have produced in preseason,” McMillan explained. “We are delighted for Jack Aungier, making his Munster debut after he joined us over the summer. He has fitted in really well and is a quality tighthead prop. Marnus (van der Merwe) will make his first start after a strong debut last week and, along with Kieran Brookes, he’s another of our new signings that have made an immediate impact.” Van der Merwe plays as a hooker. Brookes, although a tighthead prop by inclination, can play all three frontrow positions and will cover hooker from the bench for this game. “We’ve had a few injury issues at hooker both in the senior team and the academy so Brookesy, who was excellent on his debut last week, is our replacement hooker. “He’ll step into that role for us this week and it’s invaluable to have a player of his experience and versatility to cover hooker.” Craig Casey and Jeremy Loughman return after Ireland duty during the summer, with scrumhalf Casey captaining the team. Anybody who watched academy outhalf Charlie O’Shea play for the Ireland Under-20 side will know about his ability to find gaps and his speed to exploit them. “He’s a very diligent young man and it’s great to have a player of Craig’s quality and experience alongside him in the half-backs for his first start,” McMillan said. Shane Daly returns at fullback, while Dan Kelly is back in the starting line-up at inside centre alongside Seán O’Brien. Kelly’s versatility in being able to play centre positions is useful, but at some point he’d probably appreciate getting a chance to nail down a single position. There’s a fine line between ensuring a fresh team takes the field on a weekly basis, when it comes to minds and limbs, and chopping and changing too much. When overdone, it can drain the cohesion. Michael Milne, a try scorer last week, and Fineen Wycherley are the only players retained in the pack. A backrow containing Seán Edogbo, John Hodnett and Brian Gleeson is going to be entertaining to watch, especially in possession. The Bulls forward pack remains unchanged from the victory over Zebre Parma, while props Khutha Mchunu and Sti Sithole step into the match-day squad on the bench. Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann has rotated his backline options. At scrumhalf, Zak Burger swaps roles with Paul de Wet. Hakeem Kunene, who featured off the bench last week, is named at fullback, with Springbok veteran Willie le Roux dropping to the bench. Thaakir Abrahams makes a prompt return to Munster, this time wearing blue. His old team-mates will know he needs to be carefully chaperoned. Stravino Jacobs moves to inside centre, while he will be partnered in the midfield by Stedman Gans. Akker van der Merwe, Cameron Hanekom, Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier, Johan Grobbelaar and Marco van Staden are just some of the Bulls that are otherwise employed. Munster are facing a tough run of matches. Next weekend they travel to Belfast to take on Ulster, before hosting Racing 92 in the Champions Cup the following weekend at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Then they make the journey to Dublin to face URC title holders Leinster at the Aviva Stadium. They were good at times in the first half in the defeat to Glasgow Warriors – scrumhalf Ben O’Donovan produced a superb display – but scrum issues and a spiralling penalty count allowed the Scottish side to wrest control. A different set of halfbacks will be charged with managing the game this week. Munster, undoubtedly, will have to play with width and tempo rather than becoming embroiled in a collision-fest, which the Bulls are better equipped for. Defence will be key. The South African side have plenty of power runners, both in the pack and the midfield. Munster supporters will want to see a team that has the courage to play, while also playing to its strengths. Additionally, they will be hoping Shay McCarthy and Diarmuid Kilgallen get a chance to fly. Munster : S Daly; D Kilgallen, S O’Brien, D Kelly, S McCarthy; C O’Shea, C Casey (capt); M Milne, M van der Merwe, J Aungier; T Ahern, F Wycherley; S Edogbo, J Hodnett, B Gleeson. Replacements : K Brookes, J Loughman, R Foxe, E O’Connell, G Coombes, B O’Donovan, JJ Hanrahan, A Kendellen. Bulls : H Kunene; S de Klerk, S Gans, S Jacobs, T Abrahams; C Bosch, Z Burger; A Tshakweni, J Else, F Klopper; R Vermaak, R Ludwig; M Coetzee (capt), H Liebenberg, J Rudolph. Replacements : J Uys, S Sithole, K Mchunu, JF van Heerden, N Carr, P de Wet, C Jooste, W le Roux. Referee : F Vedovelli (Italy)