It’s been one of the mysteries of the season so far; why aren’t Munster giving the South African back row starts in the big games? Last weekend, Stander dropped out of the match-day squad completely for the Heineken Cup trip to Perpignan, instead scoring a try for the ‘A’ team in Waterford.
Tomorrow night’s clash with the Scarlets at Musgrave Park [KO 19.15] will be Stander’s sixth start of the season, and he will be desperate to impress Rob Penney, particularly with the excellent Tommy O’Donnell just back from injury. Munster fans will be watching Stander very closely.
Can Connacht find some league form?
It’s the big challenge for Pat Lam’s side at home to the Dragons tomorrow evening and in the coming months. Following the remarkable win over Toulouse two weekends ago, it’s time for the western province to get some momentum into their league season. Just one win so far in the Pro12 is frankly not good enough, as the players will be aware.
Lam has named a strong XV, with the likes of Robbie Henshaw, Kieran Marmion, Eoin Griffin and Eoin McKeon now being asked to move beyond being players of potential and start delivering consistent results.
Paddy Wallace returns to the Ulster starting line-up after a torturous nine month spell on the sidelines with an ACL injury, and will surely receive a warm welcome as Ulster host Zebre tonight [19.05]. The creative inside centre may well be rusty, but he has never been anything other than an excellent performer for the northern province.
Outside him, Jared Payne’s apparent long-term conversion to outside centre continues. The Kiwi native’s every move is watched closely by Irish supporters these days, given his international eligibility from mid-2014 onwards. A potentially troublesome night for Zebre in midfield awaits.
The potential of the Leinster XV
Leinster fans may be in for an early Christmas treat if their side can win away in Edinburgh this evening [KO 19.35]. Matt O’Connor has named a potentially thrilling starting XV, with an exciting blend of youth and experience. Zane Kirchner gets the opportunity to stand out from fullback, with the in-form Luke Fitzgerald continuing on the left wing.
Brian O’Driscoll is at outside centre, linking up with Noel Reid and hoping to get plenty of service from out-half Ian Madigan. Up front, the likes of Marty Moore, Tom Denton and Jordi Murphy all have plenty to prove and should be motivated for the clash in Murrayfield.
Last time we saw the Kerry native, he was dancing his way past Joffrey Michel and dotting down to save Munster’s Heineken Cup campaign. That moment against Perpignan will never be forgotten by the province’s supporters, but Hanrahan now has the chance to start creating more history.
Making his fifth start of the season against the Scarlets, the 21-year-old will be focused on following up last weekend’s dramatic cameo off the bench with a rounded 80-minute performance. There is little doubt that the Currow man has flair and playmaking skills, but he now needs to demonstrate that game management is part of his array of abilities.
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19 years!!!Jesus I feel old,,I still remember going into the front garden after and copying Gary Kelly’s turn and left foot strike and celebration for hours,,an 8 year old with World Cup fever,great memories.
BY their standards?germany won the euros two years later,there is no such thing as a poor german team,why do so many in this country refuse to give credit when our team does well?
I remember it well, I was in my aunties sat down in front of the telly tucking into a packet of Jacobs Mikados. What a day.
It must be said this was Germany at a pretty low ebb. After being dumped out of the World Cup by Bulgaria it was at this point they decided implement their now famous youth structure. If only we could be as pragmatic instead of heaping all our eggs in one basket in the form of the senior team manager.
Over half that team won a World Cup, others such as Effenberg, Moller, Sammer and Basler would win Champions Leagues and be big names in that competition, a lot of that team would win Euro 96(and thankfully stop England from doing so). You obviously were not a football fan back then Sean.
They WON a World Cup but were knocked out in the Quarter Finals of 1994, bad by any German teams standards, and yes A LOT but NOT ALL won Euro 96. I can tell that you are not a football fan by saying you were thankful that they stopped England winning Euro 96, one of the typical couch supporters who goes all out to hate England.
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The best bit was the Irish fans chanting in the last ten minutes “Auf Wiedersehen, Auf Wiedersehen….” Lol!!!!
19 years!!!Jesus I feel old,,I still remember going into the front garden after and copying Gary Kelly’s turn and left foot strike and celebration for hours,,an 8 year old with World Cup fever,great memories.
not as old as a 15 year old with World Cup fever
BY their standards?germany won the euros two years later,there is no such thing as a poor german team,why do so many in this country refuse to give credit when our team does well?
That was such a great team…
We beat Holland 1-0 in Tilburg a few weeks before hand, A serious run of pre World Cup form.
Back garden?? Do you mean back yard by any chance?
I’ve seen both used
I remember it well, I was in my aunties sat down in front of the telly tucking into a packet of Jacobs Mikados. What a day.
It must be said this was Germany at a pretty low ebb. After being dumped out of the World Cup by Bulgaria it was at this point they decided implement their now famous youth structure. If only we could be as pragmatic instead of heaping all our eggs in one basket in the form of the senior team manager.
We beat 1-0 in Tilburg a few weeks before that game. A serious run of form before the World Cup.
good result, but don’t forget only a friendly and no one wanted to get injured before the finals!!
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A poor German team as well, by their usual standards anyway
Over half that team won a World Cup, others such as Effenberg, Moller, Sammer and Basler would win Champions Leagues and be big names in that competition, a lot of that team would win Euro 96(and thankfully stop England from doing so). You obviously were not a football fan back then Sean.
You obviously can’t read correctly David
They WON a World Cup but were knocked out in the Quarter Finals of 1994, bad by any German teams standards, and yes A LOT but NOT ALL won Euro 96. I can tell that you are not a football fan by saying you were thankful that they stopped England winning Euro 96, one of the typical couch supporters who goes all out to hate England.