MUNSTER’S FIRST-CHOICE XV has had a relatively settled look to it this season, but a knee injury to centre Andrew Smith could see a change in midfield for the Champions Cup clash with Clermont on Saturday.
Back row Robin Copeland, who has been a replacement in both of Munster’s European ties so far this season, is a further doubt.
Should Smith fail to recover from his knee injury in time for the visit of the Top 14 outfit, head coach Anthony Foley has Pat Howard, Johne Murphy and Ivan Dineen to choose from in the 13 shirt.
Australian Smith was injured after replacing the concussed Howard during last weekend’s win over Ulster. The latter, a recent signing from Western Province in South Africa, has been added to Munster’s Champions Cup squad and is expected to have fully recovered from his head injury before Saturday.
“Obviously Andrew picked up a bang on his knee at the weekend and the swelling hasn’t gone down yet,” said Foley in Limerick yesterday evening. “We need to constantly monitor that and see where he’s at.
From his point of view, he needs to take part in training on Thursday; otherwise, you’re risking the lad by putting him out. We’ve registered Pat Howard today instead of Johnny Holland as our wildcard.
“Ivan Dineen did a good job at 13 for the As, and Johne Murphy has done a job for us at 13 during the season as well. We do have numbers, we have bodies there that will do a good job for us. It depends who’s called upon.
“That’s the beauty of having players in and around the squad, it gives you those opportunities to create competition.”
Whoever does line up alongside Denis Hurley in Munster’s midfield is likely to have a busy afternoon against Wesley Fofana and one of Aurélien Rougerie or Jonathan Davies. The Welshman has yet to show his finest form for Clermont, while veteran Rougerie has strung together several impressive displays.
Irish rugby fans have come to associate Brock James, and his supposed mental fragility, with Clermont in recent times, but the form of Camille Lopez means the Australian has been usurped in the 10 shirt.
Having joined from Perpignan last summer – after a season on the sidelines with an ACL injury – Lopez has now established himself as France’s out-half too.
In the November series, particularly against Australia, he ran the show,” said Foley of the Clermont out-half. “He’s not your stereotypical French out-half from the last number of years.
“He’s got a bit more structure to his game and puts them in the right areas to launch their attacks off. They’ve got him and Brock James.
“Lopez would have gone off injured in France’s last game against Argentina, so we need to see whether he’ll tog out, or Brock James. They’re two good out-halves who both have good kicking games which, in what you’d imagine to be a tight game, will have a big influence.”
Clermont may have several important selection calls to make, but Munster should have a settled matchday 23 again, even if Smith and Copeland aren’t involved.
Foley will look to a similar formula that brought victory over Saracens back in October.
Possible Munster XV: F Jones; A Conway, P. Howard/J. Murphy, D Hurley, S. Zebo; I Keatley, C. Murray; D. Kilcoyne, D. Casey, B.J. Botha; D. Foley, P.O’Connell; P. O’Mahony, T. O’Donnell, C.J. Stander.
