Munster vs Zebre, Fri 25th March 7pm; TG4

thomond2006

Munster:
Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Keith Earls, Rory Scannell, Ronan O'Mahony; Johnny Holland, Tomás O'Leary;
Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland - capt., Dave O'Callaghan, Tommy O'Donnell, Jack O'Donoghue.

Replacements: Mike Sherry, James Cronin, Mario Sagario, Dave Foley, CJ Stander, Conor Murray, Ian Keatley, David Johnston.

Zebre:
15 Kayle Van Zyl
14 Leonardo Sarto*
13 Giulio Bisegni
12 Tommaso Boni*
11 Giulio Toniolatti
10 Kelly Haimona
9 Guglielmo Palazzani

8 Johan Meyer
7 Federico Ruzza*
6 Jean Cook
5 Valerio Bernabò

4 Quintin Geldenhuys (cap)
3 Dario Chistolini
2 Oliviero Fabiani
1 Guillermo Roan

16 Bruno Postiglioni
17 Andrea De Marchi
18 Pietro Ceccarelli
19 Gideon Koegelenberg
20 Emiliano Caffini*
21 Luke Burgess
22 Ulrich Beyers
23 Matteo Pratichetti

Five points will be a necessity in this! It's a strong team with some big names on the bench. It's also an opportunity for Johnny Holland who starts at 10. Saili out due to a knock in training.

Mahatma Geansai

I'm happy with the look of that side; the backrow is especially exciting. Earls at 13 is a necessity considering Saili's injury. Foley is certainly giving youth's its chance.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

Munster:
Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Keith Earls, Rory Scannell, Ronan O'Mahony; Johnny Holland, Tomás O'Leary;
Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland - capt., Dave O'Callaghan, Tommy O'Donnell, Jack O'Donoghue.

Replacements: Mike Sherry, James Cronin, Mario Sagario, Dave Foley, CJ Stander, Conor Murray, Ian Keatley, David Johnston.

Zebre: TBA

Five points will be a necessity in this! It's a strong team with some big names on the bench. It's also an opportunity for Johnny Holland who starts at 10. Saili out due to a knock in training.

Full crop of home grown Munster players starting along with 5 subs. Good to see.

Podge_irl

That's a very surprising side. Amazed the internationals were brought back in so quickly, especially given the opposition.

thomond2006

Podge_irl wrote: »

That's a very surprising side. Amazed the internationals were brought back in so quickly, especially given the opposition.

They get a week off on the European weekend.

leakyboots

How long is Saili out for?

I'll be disappointed if we don't get 5 points here

vienne86

That's a great team, and brilliant to have the internationals back already - hope Leinster get theirs back too!

If five points aren't bagged, there is something very seriously wrong.

phog

leakyboots wrote: »

How long is Saili out for?

I'll be disappointed if we don't get 5 points here

Took a knock at training, hopefully just rested and back for next week.

leakyboots

He could do with a rest anyway I think before the run-in ahead of us, now's the time to do it

phog

The volunteers who helped out in today's clean up across Limerick city and county are being given free access to tonight's game..

Bring the TLC HiViz vest with you to the ticket office at Thomond Park

thomond2006

Saili was pictured in the stand wearing an arm cast.

case885

thomond2006 wrote:

Saili was pictured in the stand wearing an arm cast.

Had he a cast? I thought it was only a sling

case885

Good break by earls, I thought he'd run that in

thomond2006

case885 wrote: »

Had he a cast? I thought it was only a sling

Sorry, poor English. Sling...

wp_rathead

nice break from earls.. overcooked the pass then..

budhabob

Who scored the tries?

Dog Botherer

budhabob wrote: »

Who scored the tries?

Ronan O'Mahoney and a penalty try. Zebre have a lad in the bin for stamping on TO'D.

thomond2006

Beautifully timed pass from Scannell!

Zebre are a joke tonight.

budhabob

Zebo in for a lovely try. Good pace and passing by the backs.

budhabob

And another, sweetnam and scannell playing a big role again. Zebo showing good base.

Murray kicking instead of Keatley?

moleyv

Entertaining 2 minutes

budhabob

TOD at pace is some sight!

crasy dash

Keatley injured?didn't see what happened to him

crasy dash

moleyv wrote: »

Entertaining 2 minutes

Made a cup of tea and missed everything!!!

case885

crasy dash wrote:

Keatley injured?didn't see what happened to him

Still playing.
Im guessing the coaches think Murray could potentially be a better place kicker from what they see in training so giving him kicking duties to see if he's as good in matches, no harm trying I guess.

moleyv

crasy dash wrote:

Made a cup of tea and missed everything!!!

Munster did a conga style maul from their own line while TOL rode on top bare chested dancing the macarena.

crasy dash

He is gone off Holland is back on, is it for a head injury assessment?

Didn't understand what tg4 put the sub up as

neelia11

Zebre are to Pro12 what Norway us to eurovision... Nul points

thomond2006

I'm surprised they brought Murray on tbh.

washman3

Where have all the Munster 'fans' gone.???

moleyv

I think three yellows was a bit harsh in the grand scheme of things.

Stheno

what was the last yellow for?

moleyv

Collapsing the scrum near the line I guess

budhabob

I've been very impressed with sweetnam, lively, always looking for the offload.

moleyv

Last pass summed up Zebre.

How do they motivate themselves to pull the jersey on.

thomond2006

I hope Sweetnam makes the 23 next week. I think he offers more than ROM.

Dog Botherer

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm surprised they brought Murray on tbh.

Think it was only because O'Leary was having a shocker. At least he got some goalkicking practice.

budhabob

thomond2006 wrote: »

I hope Sweetnam makes the 23 next week. I think he offers more than ROM.

Im a big ROM fan, good hard working wing. But I do like sweetnam, has serious potential.

phog

Deleted User wrote: »

Murray kicking instead of Keatley?

Keatley couldn't kick, he was a HIA replacement sub. He has to be a permanent sub before best allowed kick at goal.

Zebre were poor but that was a decent performance from Munster.

TOL was poor but other than that the rest had good games. TOD hobbled off late in the game, hope best alright for next week, we need him.

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

Keatley couldn't kick, he was a HIA replacement sub. He has to be a permanent sub before best allowed kick at goal.

Zebre were poor but that was a decent performance from Munster.

TOL was poor but other than that the rest had good games. TOD hobbled off late in the game, hope best alright for next week, we need him.

Is that a law? I've never heard of it.

Braken

Zebra were very poor, they wouldn't survive in tier 2 of French rugby where they should be playing,the win was great but the Pro 12 will not survive with this kind of entertainment..we should have put 100 points on them

irishbucsfan

thomond2006 wrote: »

Is that a law? I've never heard of it.

I believe it was introduced post bloodgate

commonsense.

washman3 wrote:

Where have all the Munster 'fans' gone.???

Given it was Good Friday the faithful were obviously abstaining.

pickarooney

Zebre crucified again.

irishbucsfan

pickarooney wrote: »

Zebre crucified again.

In the past 3 games they've scored 10 points (been nilled twice) and conceded 106.

Hard to see this lasting much longer tbh, I'd like to see FIR enter negotations with the FFR and LNR.

connemara man

thomond2006 wrote: »

Is that a law? I've never heard of it.

If the sub is over 10 mins it is

Billysays no

While international rugby is at a total low, the game tonight was even lower. That said the ulster Glasgow game was highly entertaining. Zebre are clueless. Let's hope conor o Shea can add something to Italian rugby. Munster simply have to move the ball quicker. Tol is a disaster. Slow understates him

Fireball07

Obviously Zebre were really bad, and hard to read too much into it but I thought Scannell was excellent and Sweetnam looked good. I do rate ROM a lot though, think he's one of the best strike runners we have, runs very intelligent lines.

Holland kicked well. Scannell has a lovely pass on him. The match was never really a contest, total dominance from start to finish but it was a match we needed 5 points from.

The Omen 666

Some pictures from the touchline on Friday night https://m.facebook.com/PhotographybyDamienConway/

phog

Highlights from Pro12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoxwDgTb8Vw