VETERAN AUSTRALIAN LOCK Mark Chisholm is set to return to action tomorrow night after a year out of the game.
The 35-year-old, who’s been capped 58 times by the Wallabies, has been named on the bench for the Munster A side’s meeting with Ealing Trailfinders at Cork Institute of Technology in the semi-finals of the British & Irish Cup [KO 7.30pm].
Chisholm hasn’t played a game since Munster’s win against Newport Gwent Dragons in the Guinness Pro12 in March 2016. The former Brumbies and Bayonne forward returned to training last month after being forced to take an extended break from the game due to concussion.
There are two changes to the Munster A side that defeated their Ulster counterparts in the quarter-finals. On the back of his Six Nations involvement with the Irish U20s, Bill Johnston starts at out-half, with his brother David reverting to full-back.
Alex Wootton also returns from injury to start on the wing. Greg O’Shea and Stephen Firzgerald — who’s included among the replacements — are the two players who drop out of the starting XV.
Munster A:
15. David Johnston
14. Dan Goggin
13. Sam Arnold
12. Cian Bohane (captain)
11. Alex Wootton
10. Bill Johnston
9. John Poland
1. Peter McCabe
2. Kevin O’Byrne
3. Brian Scott
4. John Madigan
5. Darren O’Shea
6. Sean O’Connor
7. Conor Oliver
8. Robin Copeland
Replacements:
16. Duncan Casey
17. Liam O’Connor
18. Rory Burke
19. Mark Chisholm
20. Gavin Coombes
21. Jack Stafford
22. Stephen Fitzgerald
Fine player and was guaranteed choice for team of the year. Here’s hoping to more like him coming through
@Shaun Gallagher: sure Porter is not far off him as it is. He would certainly have been fighting it out for a starting berth on the Lions team if it wasn’t for his injury
Over the years tight head props were at least perceived as being slower and less skilful than loose heads. A few years ago before he hit the interprovincial and international stage I asked him if he ever considered switching to loose. He looked at me like I had 2 heads. But after I explained that with his speed and skills he might get more freedom and be on the ball more often at loose he didn’t knock me off my barstool. He said that he would be sticking with tight but would show that modern No 3s
could have all the skills and still anchor the scrum. How right he was. He has set the standard for tight heads worldwide. Brilliant rugby player.
@JG: this is a bit like the Michael Owen BBC sports personality of the year tweet!
Wonderful player great watching him play long may he last
I wonder is he better than Peter Clohessy was?
Just curious but he is one hell of a player
@O’Brien Michael: Claw was a legend but he was a penalty machine. Also, Furlong has broken the mold with his handling and footwork. That simply didn’t exist for props 15 years back.
@Steve O’Farrell: thats a fair comment old chap
A super player, why wouldn’t he amd his mother a Cork woman, but he tries (pun) to keep that quiet.
Great article, and a super player .let’s hope he stays injury free for the next World Cup . Well need all his skills to table for that .
Not only is he the best tighthead in the world at the moment, he is arguably the greatest tighthead prop there has ever been.
G’wan Tadhg ur a ⭐️