Munster select strong side for SA A game

Munster may be missing some of their internationals, but they still managed to name a very strong team for their historic clash against a South African A side in Cork on Thursday night.

The game, which is a sell-out of 41400 spectators, will see the Irish province face a South African A side that includes 14 capped internationals and a number of fringe players who will want to put in a performance that pushes their Springbok aspirations.

But Munster have named a strong side themselves, even though they show seven changes to the team that narrowly lost to Ulster in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in their last game.

Jack O’Donoghue captains the side that includes Irish fringe players Gavin Coombes, who played for Ireland A last week against the All Blacks Select XV.

Lock Edwin Edogbo, who faced the Bulls recently and was impressive, is in the second row while Antoine Frisch makes his first start for Munster since returning from the Emerging Ireland tour of South Africa.

Veteran Ireland wing Simon Zebo is back in the starting line-up while regulars Ben Healy, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa and Mike Haley are all in the team.

Rory Scannell and Frisch form the centre partnership for the first time with Paddy Patterson and Healy in the half-backs.

Hooker Niall Scannell has completed the return-to-play protocols and is named among the replacements along with props Liam O’Connor and Keynan Knox.

Academy lock/back-row forward Hurley and Alex Kendellen complete the forward cover.

On the bench Malakai Fekitoa returns from international duty with Tonga.

Rory Scannell and Niall Scannell are the only two players in this squad who played in Munster’s last game against a touring side, the Maori All Blacks, in 2016.

Munster: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo; Ben Healy, Paddy Patterson; Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Jack O’Donoghue, Kiran McDonald, Edwin Edogbo, Roman Salanoa, Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Liam O’Connor, Keynan Knox, Cian Hurley, Alex Kendellen, Neil Cronin, Patrick Campbell, Malakai Fekitoa.