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Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Munster team v Sharks as side named for URC quarter-final
Munster have named an unchanged side for the third game in succession as they compete for a place in the URC semi-finals. Out-half Jack Crowley has been passed fit to start against the Sharks in Durban after suffering a rib injury in the final regular season victory over Benetton a fortnight ago. Rory Scannell is included among the replacements and is poised for his 200th appearance for the Reds, the 16th player to reach that milestone for the province. The back three comprises of Thaaakir Abrahams, Calvin Nash and Diarmuid Kilgallen, the centre partnership is Alex Nankivell and Tom Farrell, who is an ever-present this season, while Craig Casey and Crowley are the half-backs. Michael Milne, Niall Scannell and Stephen Archer are in the front row, Jean Kleyn and Tadhg Beirne, the team captain who was this week named as the RPI Players' Player of the Year, make up the second row while Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes are in the back row. The Sharks have 12 Springboks in a starting line-up that has five changes from their last win over the Scarlets. Siya Kolisi, who has returned from a rest period, while Lukhanyo Am is fit again after an arm injury. Jordan Hendrikse is also back in the side at No.10. Munster: Thaakir Abrahams, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (captain), Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley. Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth (CAPT), Jason Jenkins, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Emile van Heerden, Phepsi Buthelezi, Bradley Davids, Francois Venter, Yaw Penxe.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Munster's healthy problems as Costello ponders whether to stick or twist
It's stick or twist time for the Munster management as they prepare to name their matchday squad for Saturday's URC quarter-final at the Sharks. Munster's place in the play-offs was booked courtesy of back-to-back bonus-point home wins over Ulster and Benetton in the final rounds of the regular season, a return to form based on consistency of selection with interim head coach Ian Costello able to field the same starting 15 and eight replacements in consecutive matches for the first time all season. Never was that luxury more welcome with Munster in metaphorical knockout rugby mode and the prospect of no Champions Cup rugby next season a real possibility if the required top-eight finish was not nailed down. Yet with actual win-or-go-home rugby now looming and a powerful Sharks side lying in wait on home turf at Kings Park in Durban, Costello and his assistants are faced with the question of whether to go again with that same, trusted 23, or pick a more tailored team for the first of what is hoped will be three play-off rounds. Munster have all 23 of that matchday squad available after fly-half Jack Crowley and hooker Niall Scannell overcame knocks. And the 32-player squad which arrived in Durban on Tuesday afternoon has been boosted by the return of fit-again frontline front-rowers, hooker Diarmuid Barron and loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman. That both absences had been impressively catered for by Leinster loanees and permanent summer arrivals Lee Barron, who replaced Scannell against Benetton, and loosehead Michael Milne, who has started the last three games, adds to this healthy conundrum. 'Selection is probably a mixture of a science and an art, isn't it?', Costello said. 'As a coaching group we have long conversations, in-depth conversations. We consider so many different elements when it comes to selection. 'Cohesion is definitely one. There's certain teams around the world that would put a huge emphasis and a huge focus on cohesion. We had cohesion the last two games, we were in a position to select the same 23, but that's got to be right for the next game coming up. 'It's that balance, again, between who's been training well, who's really fresh, who looks like they might add something for the game. And the game's 23 people now, that's the one thing for sure. We saw Bath over the weekend bring people off the bench to win a trophy and it's worth considering how we use our 23 the best way we possibly can. 'That's something we've been in a really good position to do with our squad being healthier. So it's that balance of cohesion versus how we are feeling around how competitive guys are at the moment, and who could bring the most from the start and who could bring the most off the bench. 'It's a fascinating tactical consideration that's emerging across all big games at the moment.'
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Etzebeth: Munster's wounding by Sharks last year ‘doesn't count anymore'
The fact that Munster's coach resigned after the teams' last encounter will mean nothing, Eben Etzebeth said. South African utility back Thaakir Abrahams scores a try for Munster against Benetton – their last game before the play-offs. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images Sharks captain Eben Etzebeth said his side cannot draw on their significant win over Munster in the United Rugby Championship earlier this season – which resulted in the resignation of their coach three days afterwards – as playing any role when the teams clash in the quarter-finals. The Sharks crushed Munster 41–24 in Durban in October. It was the Irish side's third consecutive defeat, and with the team languishing at 12th on the log after six games, Graham Rowntree resigned as head coach. Munster recovered under interim coach Ian Costello and will face the Sharks again at Kings Park on Saturday (kick-off 6.30pm) in a last-eight clash. This is the Sharks' first-ever home quarter-final in the URC, though they have never progressed past this play-off phase. Munster, on the other hand, have won the URC in its current format once and three times in its previous formats. Munster are strong away from home Two years ago, they won all three of their knockout games away from home (Glasgow, Leinster and Stormers). Etzebeth drew on this when addressing the media on Tuesday. 'They are used to play-off success and winning away from home in knockout games, which are the most important. Everything you've done before now doesn't really count,' he said. '[It's the] first time we are hosting a quarter-final. It's an advantage. But we know Munster. 'They've got a history of playing well in knockout games. We are very aware of that, that they can be their best even away from home. They are a quality side and we definitely won't look too much into the past and the past result, where we came out on top. 'Just a weekend is a long time and that was more than half a year ago. That won't count at all.' Sharks look to home crowd advantage against Munster The Sharks captain said his side have had 'one of our best URCs yet'. Despite battling an injury dilemma for much of the season, the Sharks pulled off enough tight wins (eight victories were by seven points or fewer) to finish third on the log. 'It's a good opportunity for us to hopefully push a bit further in this competition. Having the home crowd advantage and doing it in front of our fans is a massive bonus,' said the Springbok lock. To win on Saturday would be another first for the Sharks after they secured their maiden SA shield earlier in the season.
Top Gear
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Can the Monaco Grand Prix be fixed by changing just three corners?
Formula One Check out this idea from ex-Benetton driver Alex Wurz. No sprinklers or mandatory two-stops required Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading That whole two mandatory pit stops thing didn't really work, did it? The top four all finished as they started, overtaking was basically impossible, and the only real drama came from watching RB and then Williams tactically back up the pack. Meh. So how do you actually fix the Monaco Grand Prix? In a way that doesn't call for a randomised sprinkler system, or a cockpit full of bananas a la Mario Kart ? Advertisement - Page continues below Well, former F1 driver and double Le Mans winner Alex Wurz – who happens to run his own racetrack design company – has come up with a couple of suggestions. And they look… kinda sensible. Check 'em out in the video below. First, the Austrian recommends getting rid of the existing Nouvelle chicane, thus giving drivers an extra 80m of straight to work with out of the tunnel. Just enough to make a divebomb possible instead of fanciful. You might like This'd be followed by a 90-degree left- and then a tight right-hander, and would need a small amount of harbour filling in with concrete. It's Monaco, so well within the locals' budget. Then Wurz suggests reprofiling Rascasse by moving the apex of the corner out by a couple of meters and widening the outside, forcing drivers to make a choice between taking the ideal racing line or defending the (slower) inside. Could open up some opportunities at Sainte Devote, that. Advertisement - Page continues below Finally, Wurz reckons that widening the Fairmont hairpin would boost the number of overtaking chances at his new chicane, as it'd slow down the defending driver. READ MORE Monaco GP: what does the track look like normally? All sounds entirely logical. Which means there's zero hope the organisers will actually do it. We reckon George Russell was onto something when he straight-lined the chicane on Sunday: imagine if every driver could do that, with three permitted joker laps per race? Just a thought. Any other suggestions out there? Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Crowley fit for Munster's play-off trip to Sharks
Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley has been passed fit for Munster's United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Sharks in Durban on Saturday (17:30 BST). Crowley has been struggling with a rib injury which led to scrum-half Craig Casey taking over goal-kicking duties in the win over Benetton earlier this month. Fit-again hookers Diarmuid Barron and Niall Scannell and loose-head prop Jeremy Loughman will also travel with the squad to South Africa. Loughman has not played since Munster's Investec Champions Cup win away to La Rochelle on 5 April. Oli Jager (head), Ethan Coughlan (hamstring), Billy Burns (shoulder), Shane Daly (hamstring) and Roman Salanoa (knee) remain unavailable to interim head coach Ian Costello. 2022-23 champions Munster secured sixth place in the URC regular-season standings with successive bonus-point wins over Ulster and Benetton to set up a quarter-final against the Sharks, who are third seeds. The South African side won 41-24 when the teams met at Kings Park in Durban in October. Forwards: Tom Ahern, Stephen Archer, Diarmuid Barron, Lee Barron, Tadhg Beirne (capt), Gavin Coombes, Ronan Foxe, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen, Jean Kleyn, Jeremy Loughman, Michael Milne, Jack O'Donoghue, Peter O'Mahony, John Ryan, Niall Scannell, Fineen Wycherley, Josh Wycherley. Backs: Thaakir Abrahams, Tony Butler, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Tom Farrell, Mike Haley, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Conor Murray, Alex Nankivell, Calvin Nash, Sean O'Brien, Paddy Patterson, Rory Scannell, Andrew Smith.
