EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – FEBRUARY 20: Nick McCarthy of Munster is seen during the PRO14 match between Edinburgh and Munster on February 20, 2021 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

United Rugby Championship: Munster vs Stormers preview

Munster vs Stormers: The Irish province face South African opposition for the second week in a row in the United Rugby Championship at Thomond Park.

by James Richardson

02-10-2021 12:24

in Rugby

Munster vs Stormers: The Irish province face South African opposition for the second week in a row in the United Rugby Championship at Thomond Park.

Munster vs Stormers preview

The Stormers led 18-7 early in the second half before going down 22-18 to Rainbow Cup champions Benetton in Treviso last week.

Simon Zebo marked his Munster return with a brace of tries as last season’s beaten PRO14 finalists made an impressive start to the season by beating the Sharks 42-17.

This will be the first time the two sides have met in a competitive fixture.

Munster’s only defeat in their last six URC/Pro14 matches was a 24-20 home loss to Connacht in the Rainbow Cup.

The Irish province’s only loss to South African opposition in the Championship was to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in October 2019.

The Stormers have lost their last three games across the Rainbow Cup and URC and have not won outside South Africa since an April 2019 Super Rugby victory over the Rebels.

Stormers coach John Dobson expects an aerial examination from Munster.

“Munster is going to be another level, they have a massive kicking game so we can expect an aerial assault.

“They are a great set-piece team with a big pack of forwards, it is going to be another step up.”

Former Blitzbok star Ruhan Nel said the challenge of playing against such varied and different styles and influences each week is exciting, but for him it’s not entirely new as he faced a lot of variation in terms of opponents in his days on the World Rugby Sevens Series.

“These are the games you want to play, you want to experience what it is like to play against the Ireland style and then the next week you are playing against a Scottish team, and it reminds me a lot of Sevens,” said Nel.

“In Sevens you can play against England in one game and then in the next against Fiji. You’ve got to be adaptable and adjust quickly, and it will be the same in this competition.”

Teams

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Keith Earls, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Joey Carbery, Craig Casey; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Keynan Knox; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Peter O’Mahony (captain), Jack O’Donoghue, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Stephen Archer, RG Snyman, Jack O’Sullivan, Rowan Osborne, Ben Healy, Simon Zebo.

DHL Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Sergeal Petersen, Ruhan Nel, Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas, Manie Libbok, Stefan Ungerer, Brok Harris, Scarra Ntubeni, Neethling Fouche, Adre Smith, Salmaan Moerat (captain), Nama Xaba, Willie Engelbrecht, Evan Roos.

Replacements: Andre-Hugo Venter, Leon Lyons, Sazi Sandi, Ernst van Rhyn, Marcel Theunissen, Godlen Masimla, Tim Swiel, Rikus Pretorius.