Munster team v Stormers: Conor Murray returns as five changes made from Leinster loss
Complete back-row reshuffle as Ahern and Kendellan return, O'Donoghue moving to no8
by Derek Foley · Irish MirrorMunster have made five changes to the side that started against Leinster in Croke Park for the first game of the mini-South Africa tour, against Stormers in Cape Town (Sat 5pm).
There are two changes in the backline, Shane Daly returning from an elbow injury coming in for Sean O'Brien with Conor Murray starting in place of the injured Craig Casey. Ethan Coughlan has been named as reserve scrum-half
John Ryan rotates with Stephen Archer at tight-head while there is a significant back-row shuffle as Jack O'Donoghue moves from no6 to no8, Tom Ahern and Alex Kendellan filling blindside and openside respectively as John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes drop out.
Ahern was unavailable last week due to an ankle injury, Kendellan is returning following captaining Emerging Ireland on their South Africa tour.
Billy Burns , having recovered from his recent shoulder injury, is among the replacements.
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As it stands Munster were not altogether dissatisfied with last weekend's performance against Leinster at Croke Park although there was no disguising a flat start that saw them 21 points adrift after 15 minutes.
“There’s a frustration more so than anything," says Mike Prendergast.
"We did an awful lot well, albeit not at the start of the game. It’s something we spoke about, we cannot give teams that start but I think if you look at 60 minutes after that there was some really good stuff on both sides of the ball."
Stormers, by contrast, were poor last weekend.
“The next two games are important,” says Stormers coach John Dobson, adding of last week's 38-7 loss to Edinburgh, “we made too many mistakes and our discipline put us under pressure. We got into chase mode and that hurt us. We got frustrated.”
“We’ve got the 2023 champions Munster and last year’s champions Glasgow. If we can get our fizz back at home, we will be ok for the rest of the season.
“The key for us is the next two home games. If we can get those next two, we will be alive and kicking. There is a little bit of pressure in that respect.”
DHL Stormers: Warrick Gelant; Suleiman Hartzenberg, Ruhan Nel, Dan du Plessis (CAPT), Leolin Zas; Damian Willemse, Paul de Wet; Sti Sithole, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche, Adre Smith, JD Schickerling, Marcel Theunissen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Keke Morabe
Replacements: Andre-Hugo Venter, Brok Harris, Sazi Sandi, Ruben van Heerden, Dave Ewers, Louw Nel, Herschel Jantjies, Jurie Matthee
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (CAPT), Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue
Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Kieran Ryan, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Ruadhán Quinn, Ethan Coughlan, Billy Burns, Seán O’Brien
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