CONOR MURRAY IS set to make his long-awaited return after being named on the bench for Munster’s trip to Zebre this Sunday [KO 3.30pm, eir Sport].
The Ireland scrum-half hasn’t featured at all for province or country since the tour of Australia this summer, citing a neck injury for keeping him on the sidelines.
The 29-year-old had been expected to play some part in this weekend’s trip to the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi after taking part in full training this week.
Chris Farrell will also be a welcome return for Johann van Graan’s side as he puts his 10-month injury nightmare behind him. Farrell sustained a knee injury whilst on Ireland duty during their Grand Slam winning Six Nations campaign.
He is named on the bench alongside Murray and Conor Oliver.
Tyler Bleyendaal will retain the captaincy at inside centre this weekend as van Graan makes a number of changes to the side which beat the Cheetahs 30-26 in South Africa at the start of the month.
Mike Haley retains his spot at full-back, while Ronan O’Mahony makes his first appearance of the season on the right wing, with Alex Wootton lining out on the opposite flank.
Rory Scannell joins Bleyendaal to complete the centre pairing, while Neil Cronin and JJ Hanrahan line up as the half-backs.
In the pack, Jeremy Loughman, Kevin O’Byrne and Stephen Archer make up the front row as Fineen Wycherley and Darren O’Shea partner in the second row.
Gavin Coombes makes his first start in the Guinness Pro14 alongside Chris Cloete and Arno Botha in the back row.
Munster go in search of a fourth win in their last five league outings against the Italians this weekend. Zebre, meanwhile, have only lost one of their last seven home games in all tournaments.
Munster
15. Mike Haley
14. Ronan O’Mahony
13. Rory Scannell
12. Tyler Bleyendaal
11. Alex Wootton
10. JJ Hanrahan
9. Neil Cronin
1. Jeremy Loughman
2. Kevin O’Byrne
3. Stephen Archer
4. Fineen Wycherley
5. Darren O’Shea
6. Gavin Coombes
7. Chris Cloete
8. Arno Botha
Replacements:
16. Mike Sherry
17. Brian Scott
18. Ciaran Parker
19. Sean O’Connor
20. Conor Oliver
21. Conor Murray
22. Bill Johnston
23. Chris Farrell
Great news. Chris Farrell back as well.
Awesome boost for Munster with Europe creeping up.
Brilliant to have so many of the injured lads back. O mahony, Oliver, Scott, blyendaal, Farrell, Murray all back from long term injuries. Strong looking team and it’s good to see Coombes getting another run in the back row.
Great news. Setting up nicely for the next few rounds in Europe.
Chuffed to see Conor, Farrell and Oliver back in the 23.Great to see a nice mix of youth and experience with G Coombes, Cronin, O Connor, Wycherley, Johnston and Parker all being given a chance to prove themselves Coombes and Oliver are super young Br’s it’s insane the amount of br talent all the province’s are producing over the last few seasons
Happy to see Loughman starting his last couple of appearances have been very impressive, he’s a demon in the loose.
Be interesting to see how JJ and Tyler go at 10 and 12. Even with all their call ups it’s a very strong Munster side and I can see them having too much for a depleted Zebre side
@Ian Verdon: it’s no coincidence that the increase in backrower talent across all provinces mirrors the decline in playing numbers in the GAA. Irish rugby started really becoming successful back in the early noughties, when these kids were growing up. In other generations the likes of Coombes, o brien, Dorris would have been county footballers or hurlers but now they have a professional played and run game to aspire to.
Even if you go back ten years, a lot of the young talented sportsmen were being hoovered up by the GAA whereas now I think we are seeing more and more quality that comes hand in hand with the quantity of kids playing the game.
@Jim Demps: there’s a real hunger in communities for rugby at the moment. All you have to do is look at a Saturday morning and see the minis from under 6 up taking the field. When I was young which wasn’t that long ago, the youngest rugby team in the club was under 12s.
@Jim Demps: I would imagine that has a part to do with it alright. You seem a little harsh on the GAA it’s our national sport after all and is loved by millions. I think there’s ample talent being provided for both and if a young chap or girl is good at both and chooses GAA fair play to them once they’re out being active, socializing and having fun is the main thing imo. The option should always be there for any young kid growing up to take part in both tho and certainly that is becoming more and more the case throughout the country.
@Ian Verdon: didn’t mean to sound harsh. I hurled for years. Was just highlighting the change in numbers playing as a possible reason for the talent coming through.
@Jim Demps: Sorry I picked you up wrong. Yeah I say you’re right. Irish rugby is at an all time high. The national and provincial teams success is trickling down to the youth from major urban hubs to the most secluded rural areas and that’s wonderful to see.
In Dublin especially the growth of rugby in areas not traditionally associated with rugby for eg Tallaght is very heartwarming and Enniscorthy rugby club in Wexford has record numbers of members over the past few years from U10’s all the way up to their senior team. Long may it continue.
@Jim Demps: Different experience in Ulster. Generally numbers are in decline. Clubs that traditionally fielded 5 or 6 teams are struggling to put out 2 sides. Our last CEO put a rosy spin on the numbers playing rugby but in reality male adult numbers have dropped dramatically. Ulster Rugby has tried to expand the game within Cavan,Donegal and Monaghan but with limited success. If anything the clubs in these three counties are struggling with a few newly founded clubs folding.
@Trevor Johnston: that’s genuinely upsetting to hear. What do you believe are the reasons for this? As far as I know the numbers are positive in Connacht too.
@Trevor Johnston: the adult numbers have dropped in munster too. It’s the underage numbers that are booming. The decline in adult numbers playing in munster is linked to the amount of transfers between munster and Leinster clubs I.e lads moving to Dublin for work or college.
@Jim Demps: what a tool!!
@mossy lyons: who is?
Delighted to see Conor Murrary back.
It’s sad that so many try to sully the name of a Irish rugby player with stupid gossip and Snide remarks.
@Chris Mc: I think a lot of it is in jest and good old fashioned Irish slagging, I haven’t actually heard anyone who genuinely believes it. Maybe they exist, but who cares.
@Paddington C.: It is defamation, not so funny if they get sued.
@Paddington C.:We all understand in Ulster how a player’s good name can be tarnished.
@Trevor Johnston: those text messages exist, lad. Please don’t compare a great Irish spokesperson like Conor Murray to them.
@Rob G: Conor Murray won’t sue a fan for making a joke. If it were printed in a newspaper as fact he’d consider it, but he has a sense of humour.
@Paddington C.: in all honesty he’d want a sense of humour if reading btl on the 42
@Chris Mc: very true. Well done to the 42 for removing those muppets trying to slander conor. Hiding behind the keyboards
@Paddington C.: There were a fair few “respected” journalists who alluded to it very vaguely. Granted most work for that glorified toilet paper that is the Indo or just hate rugby like our man in Brazil but it was out there
@Paddington C.: cc Rob G. What the hell are you on about Conor… It’s hardly a joke calling a man a coke head?? Check out Ewan McKenna’s tweets from earlier today and tell me the people responding to it are just doing it for the craic. I firmly believe you should definitely go back to bed today. Hon Murray and hon Munster!!
@Liam Flague: Ewan McKenna is a wind up merchant and a disgrace.
@Eddie Hekenui: yeah, there will always be that cohort. I made a joke about it on here a while back and regretted it (unfortunately there’s no delete button!) but honestly the whole thing seems like a p**s take. But I suppose I don’t bloody care what Murray does in his down time, he serves us so well 90% of the year. But there will always be those who want a stick to beat a guy like Murray with.
@Paddington C.: era McKenna is like kimmage. Hates rugby and all it supposedly stands for. They portray themselves as sports writers but they are anything but. Both toxic self promoters in my eyes, will say whatever gives them the most clicks. In a week that was one of IrIsh rugby’s finest, neither of them could resist having a pop at the game.
@Paddington C.: ”great spokesperson” , yeah he’s a powerful orator alright. A real Michael D Higgins. Given his past history of sex scandal I don’t think he’s as good a representative though.
@Kevin Heaney: that was an autocorrect, should say “sportsperson”. But still… what?
@Paddington C.: go read what Paddy said. 6 words.
@Trevor Johnston: Ah Trevor you only feel that way because they were Ulster players. Anyone else and you’d be reacting totally differently
Lads can we stop with the crazy rumours?
I remember after the Australian tour that people were making up crazy rumours about Sean Cronin never playing for Ireland again and we all know how that turned out.
While I strongly doubt that Murray reads these articles, it can’t be nice for family or friends hearing wild rumours being thrown around comments sections without any concrete evidence to back them up.
Is that six months exactly since he last played?
@Trevor Beacom: nope. 5 months.