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The Munster squad travelled to South Africa at the weekend for an important two game mini series before an extremely busy period in the rugby calendar with the Champions Cup and Christmas Interpro's looming on the horizon. Munster started the season positively but the nature of the performance and result against the Osprey's left a sour taste in the mouth prior to the international break. You get a full break down of my views on the season so far below.
The squad named to travel to South Africa is without a lot of the internationals and while they do face a difficult task against the Lions and the Bulls it does represent an opportunity for some of the younger and fringe players to take the spotlight and as we have seen so far this season its not something they have shied away from.
Squad for South Africa
Loose Head - missing Kilcoyne but still a strong grouping. Loughman provides the experience and Wycherley and Boomer will be fighting it out to establish who is the clear 3rd choice.
Jeremey Loughman
Josh Wycherley
Liam O'Connor
Hooker - no one missing from selection so a clear indication of where the players stand. KOB has had a slow start to the season due to injury and needs to perform to get his bench spot back from Barron who has looked good when given the oppotunity.
Niall Scannell
Diarmuid Barron
Kevin O'Byrne
Tight Head - again no one missing and I expect Munster will need to front up physically to the South African teams on home soil. This tour could well decide who are the two players to make the Champions Cup matchday 23 as there isn't much between Archer and Knox at present. Salanoa is the big loser here as a tour like this was a perfect chance to get valuable game time but injury means he's lost nearly half a season as he now won't make the Champions Cup squads and roles in the interpros will be hard to come by.
John Ryan
Stephen Archer
Keynan Knox
Lock/Hybrid Lock - missing Tadhg Beirne but still a very strong group. Wycherley has been excellent all season, Kleyn is key to how Munster play and for Ahern its just a matter of when he establishes himself as a regular starter in this team. I have a lot of time for Cian Hurley and think if he continues to develop his game he could fill that hybrid lock role for Munster in the long term. A physical presence already at home at Pro14 level he needs to show what he can do with ball in hand on this tour. Its great to see Jenkins finally back and ready to play, especially given RG's long term injury.
Thomas Ahern
Jean Kleyn
Fineen Wycherley
Jason Jenkins
Cian Hurley
Backrow - missing POM and the number of openside and No8 options may indicate a hybrid lock option will be used at some point. Cloete, Daly and Kendellen all cover 7, JOS and Coombes are 8's and JOD can play the POM 6 role or cover the entire backrow.
Chris Cloete
Jack Daly
Alex Kendellen
Jack O’Donoghue (C)
Jack O’Sullivan
Gavin Coombes
Scrum Half - the only real specialist role where they have chosen to take only two players. I feel there will be a lot of responsibility on Cronin during this tour especially when you consider the experience levels of the out half group. I do expect at least one of Casey or Murray to join up with the team for the second game.
Neil Cronin
Paddy Patterson
Out Half - it was excellent to see Joey Carbery find some form over the autumn internationals and his player of the match performance against the Puma's and performance off the bench against the All Blacks should send him into the Champions Cup games on a high. Healy is positioned now as the back up 10 so this tour will see Crowley and Flannery fight it out for the 3rd position. Flannery was denied a chance off the bench against Connacht due to the nature and closeness of the game so I expect he will get his chance on this tour at 10.
Jack Crowley
Jake Flannery
Ben Healy
Centres - Scannell is a play maker and would help any of the younger outhalves to settle in but from what we've seen so far this season I think Munster operate better with two bigger men in the centres and from that point of view I would like to see Coombes and Goggin given game time. Farrells injury absence now effectively rules him out of the Champions Cup games.
Liam Coombes
Dan Goggin
Rory Scannell
Back Three - this is a massive opportunity got Sean French and it may be the only opportunity he gets before his contract for next season is decided. Daly and Gallagher will look to up their profile and impact from earlier in the season while Zebo and Haley bring form and experience.
Shane Daly
Seán French
Simon Zebo
Matt Gallagher
Mike Haley