Rugby

Ian Keatley replaces Tyler Bleyendaal for Cheetahs clash

Rassie Erasmus makes one change to Munster XV for Thomond Park fixture

Ian Keatley starts for Munster against the Cheetahs. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho

Fri Sep 8 2017 - 13:08

Munster v Cheetahs, Thomond Park, Saturday September 9th (5.15ko)

Rassie Erasmus has made one change to his Munster side for Saturday’s clash with the Cheetahs at Thomond Park.

That swap sees Ian Keatley replacing Tyler Bleyendaal at outhalf, after the Kiwi captained the province to an opening weekend win over Treviso in Cork.

In Bleyendaal's absence secondrow Billy Holland takes over the captaincy, with the Cheetahs looking to bounce back from their comprehensive defeat to Ulster at Ravenhill last Friday night.

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Erasmus has plenty of options off the bench, with Simon Zebo named among the replacements, along with Niall Scannell, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan and Rory Scannell .

Starting fullback Andrew Conway is set to make his 100th Pro 14 appearance, with Kilcoyne set to reach the same benchmark if used as a substitute.

Munster: Andrew Conway, Darren Sweetnam, Chris Farrell, Jaco Taute, Alex Wootton; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; Liam O'Connor, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland (c); Sean O'Connor, Tommy O'Donnell, Jack O'Donoghue. Replacements: Niall Scannell, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan, Fineen Wycherley, Robin Copeland, James Hart, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo.

Cheetahs: Clayton Blommetjies, Sergeal Petersen, Francois Venter (c), William Small-Smith, Makazole Mapimpi, Robbie Petzer, Shaun Venter; Charles Marais, Jacques du Toit, Johan Coetzee, Rynier Bernardo, Reniel Hugo, Paul Schoeman, Henco Venter, Niell Jordaan. Replacements: Torsten van Jaarsveld, Ox Nche, Tom Botha, Armandt Koster, Gerhard Olivier, Tian Meyer, Ali Mgijima, Ryno Benjamin.

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