Axel Foley backs the British and Irish Cup

MUNSTER A head coach Anthony Foley is confident the new British & Irish Cup competition, which begins on Saturday week, will be hugely beneficial to players aiming to make a break through into the province’s first team squad.
Munster A will start the inaugural British & Irish Cup with a visit to English Championship side Coventry on Saturday, November 21.


The province’s A side will host Bristol Rugby in their opening home fixture in Pool B at Nenagh Ormond RFC’s grounds on November 27 - that game will have a 7.30pm kick-off time.
Munster A continue their programme of group games in February 2010 with a home fixture against Nottingham on Saturday, February 13 before travelling to The Gnoll to take on Neath two weeks later.
The Munster A squad, which is also under the guidance of assistant coach Ian Costello and team manager Mick Galwey, complete their programme of pool games with a home fixture against Heriot’s on March 6.
The semi-finals of the Cup are due to take place on April 24, 2010 with the final scheduled for May 15 of next year.
Munster A coach Anthony Foley believes the new competition is ‘a great idea’ and a way for developing players to put themselves in the shop window for senior selection.
“I think it’s a great idea. It gives us the chance to expose lads to a level they haven’t experienced before and hopefully help them along the way to a place in the senior squad,” Anthony Foley said.
“Obviously, we haven’t a lot to work on in terms of our opposition, but we had a sort of sneak preview with the Bristol v Coventry game that was on television recently.
“It certainly heightened the excitement levels and we’re definitely looking forward to it.”
Following up on their win at Shaw’s Bridge last month Munster A completed the double over the Ulster Ravens with a comfortable 30-8 victory in ideal conditions at Musgrave Park on Friday last.
Munster join two other Irish provinces, Leinster and Ulster, 12 teams from the English Championship, six from the Welsh Principality Premiership and three Scottish sides in the new competition.
Games will take place over the extended weekends, from Thursday to Sunday and will not conflict at any point in the season with the AIB league weekends or the latter stages of the AIB Cup.
Meanwhile two Munster players have been named in the Ireland A side to face Tonga at Ravenhill this Friday night. (7.35pm). Experienced scrum-half Peter Stringer has been selected to start against the Tongans as well as lock Donncha Ryan.
A vacancy has been left at hooker pending the Ireland team announcement tomorrow.
Ireland A: Gavin Duffy (Connacht); Shane Horgan (Leinster) Captain, Darren Cave (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster); Ian Humphreys (Ulster), Peter Stringer (Munster); Brett Wilkinson (Connacht, A.N. Other, Mike Ross (Leinster); Devin Toner (Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster); Sean O’Brien (Leinster), Neil Best (Northampton Saints) & Chris Henry (Ulster).
Replacement: Denis Fogarty (Munster), Bryan Young (Ulster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Kevin McLaughlin (Leinster), Isaac Boss (Ulster), Ian Keatley (Connacht) & Johne Murphy (Leicester Tigers).

COLM KINSELLA