Nine ‘survivors’ face Leinster

NINE of the players involved in Munster’s bonus-point Magners League win over Edinburgh in Musgrave Park on Saturday are included in the Munster A side for today’s clash with Leinster A - the nine ‘survivors’ from the victory over the Scottish side includes try-scorer Ciaran O’Boyle, of Garryowen, number eight Nick Williams and full-back Denis Hurley who all started against Edinburgh. Today’s match with Leinster A at Waterpark RFC gets underway at 3pm.
Meanwhile Munster captain Paul O’Connell (pictured below) will win his 60th cap when Ireland take on England in the crunch RBS Six Nations championship clash at Croke Park this Saturday - kick-off is at 5.30pm.



The 29-year-old lock, who will be facing England for a ninth time, has scored six tries for Ireland to date.
O’Connell’s Munster colleague John Hayes will equal Malcolm O’Kelly’s record of 92 caps at GAA headquarters.
Ireland have named an unchanged starting XV for the third week in-a-row to take on England.
The sole change in the match day 22 from the matches against France and Italy sees Malcolm O’Kelly, who did not make it into the expanded 36-man squad named before this game, replaced in the substitutes by Munster’s Mick O’Driscoll.
Saturday’s match will see out-half Ronan O’Gara win his 90th cap and in doing so he will join O’Kelly, Hayes and Brian O’Driscoll as the only players to have won over 90 caps for Ireland.
Victories over France and Italy have established Ireland as Six Nations leaders after two rounds and coach Declan Kidney believes the fear of losing their places is driving his players on.
“There are lots of guys I’d love to play, good players who aren’t getting a chance to play. That’s the making of a good side,” Kidney said.
“The players in the side know that if there’s any relaxation at all there are guys ready to take their place. In terms of developing the squad work has been done on that behind the scenes. Talk about competition for places is not just lip service.
“Pressure is being applied from beneath and if you’re worried about your place in the team then it spurs you on to play better.”

Munster A: Denis Hurley; Anthony Horgan, Kieran Lewis, Scott Deasy, Ciaran O’Boyle; Jeremy Manning, Duncan Williams; Darragh Hurley, Michael Essex, Timmy Ryan; Dave Foley, Billy Holland; John O’Sullivan, Tommy O’Donnell, Nick Williams. Replacements: Mike Sherry, Dave Ryan, Ian Nagle, Kieran Essex, Mike Prendergast, AN Other, Murray Kinsella.

Ireland: Robert Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll (capt), Paddy Wallace, Luke Fitzgerald; Ronan O’Gara, Tomas O’Leary; Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell; Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip. Replacements: Rory Best, Tom Court, Mick O’Driscoll, Denis Leamy, Peter Stringer, Gordon D’Arcy, Geordan Murphy.

Colm Kinsella