RG Snyman will make his home debut in Leinster blue against his former Munster team-mates after being named by Leo Cullen in the starting side for Saturday’s BKT URC showdown at Croke Park (kick-off 5.45pm). He will be partnered by James Ryan in the absence of Joe McCarthy, who has been ruled out with an ankle injury.
There are two other injury enforced changes to the starting line-up for last Saturday’s 35-5 bonus-point win in Treviso which maintained Leinster’s 100 per cent record for the season, as Lee Barron replaces Rónan Kelleher (ankle) and Liam Turner is named on the wing after Jimmy O’Brien (hamstring) joined Jordan Larmour and Tommy O’Brien on the casualty list.
With Ciarán Frawley retained at outhalf, Ross Byrne is again named on the bench along with his brother Harry. Following his release from the Emerging Ireland team, last season’s Ireland Under-20 hooker Gus McCarthy is also named among the replacements, while Cian Healy, Max Deegan and Luke McGrath also return and are named on the bench.
Cullen confirmed that in addition to the continuing absence of Dan Sheehan until the new year, Kelleher has undergone a procedure on the ankle injury he sustained in Treviso. That will sideline him for four to six weeks and effectively rules him out of the initial stages of Ireland’s Autumn Nations series against New Zealand (which is four weeks away), Argentina and Fiji, and potentially the finale against Australia as well.
Regarding Snyman, Cullen said “he has been fantastic”, adding that Leinster have benefited from the injury which ruled him out of the Rugby Championship finale with the Springboks.
“You have probably heard some of the other players and coaches talking about him as well. He got through 50 minutes at the weekend and that’s another positive step. And a bit of local insight that he has from his time with Munster which is great,” added Cullen with a wry smile. “But yeah the lads are warming to him now and hopefully he goes well tomorrow.
Cullen said Snyman would share some of the lineout calling with Ryan. “They share responsibility there, not to give too much away.”
Following Leinster’s captain’s run at Croke Park, Cullen also admitted it was the strongest selection available to Leinster.
“I know it’s a round four URC game, it’s very unusual, isn’t it? So it feels like a knock-out playoff game, doesn’t it? Amazing to be back here again. We had a great experience here last year, so to come back and see the interest in the game is phenomenal.
“It’s amazing just in terms of focusing the minds. The occasion, it’s incredible really. We’re very appreciative of the people that have gone on and bought tickets. It’s remarkable.
“So now you’ve got to strip it all back. Like, the occasion is amazing, the stadium is slightly different just because of the way the pitch is laid out there, the size of the crowd, the enormity of the occasion is amazing.
“But again, we need to strip it back to what we need to do to play well on the day. Hopefully it will be okay, maybe the odd shower around the place.”
Munster’s injury crisis has ruled out 15 players, including Peter O’Mahony, but they have been boosted by the return from injury of centre Alex Nankivell and Seán O’Brien, who has been named on the wing after also being released from the Emerging Ireland tour.
Their casualty woes at prop are such that not only does Stephen Archer return at tighthead for the injured Oli Jager, but academy prop Kieran Ryan has been named on the bench.
As expected, in the absence of O’Mahony, Gavin Coombes returns to the starting line-up at number eight with Jack O’Donoghue shifting to blindside. Tom Ahern and Ruadhán Quinn also return from injury to bolster their replacements.
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Liam Turner, Garry Ringrose, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe; Ciarán Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Lee Barron, Tadhg Furlong; RG Snyman, James Ryan; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Harry Byrne.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Sean O’Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Kevin Ryan, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Ruadhán Quinn, Conor Murray, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy.
