Munster team v Leinster

Posted on May 27, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

David Wallace will win his 200thcap as Munster name an unchanged starting XV for tomorrow’s Magners Grand Final clash with European champions Leinster at Thomond Park Stadium (5.05).

The match day 23 shows just one change from the squad that saw off Ospreys in the semi final with Johne Murphy named on the bench in place of Simon Zebo.

Otherwise it’s as you were for McGahan’s side as they chase a title they last captured in 2009.

Wallace, playing in his 17th game of the season becomes just the sixth Munster player to reach the 200thcap mark, having made his debut against Connacht in August 1997 alongside Ronan O’Gara.

Munster: F Jones; D Howlett, D Barnes, L Mafi, K Earls; R O’Gara, C Murray; M Horan, D Varley, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell capt; D Ryan, D Wallace, J Coughlan. Replacements: M Sherry, W du Preez, S Archer, D Leamy, N Ronan, P Stringer, P Warwick, J Murphy.

Referee: Nigel Owens.

Leinster team to face Munster

Posted on May 27, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

The Leinster team to face Munster in Saturday’s Magners League Grand Final at Thomond Park (KO: 5.05pm) has been named.

There are three changes in all to the starting XV from last weekend’s Heineken Cup final with Ireland international Fergus McFadden coming in to partner Brian O’Driscoll at centre.

Jonathan Sexton – who has now scored 228 points in 18 Leinster appearances so far this season – links up with Eoin Reddan at half-back with Luke Fitzgerald, Shane Horgan and Isa Nacewa again named in the back three.

In the pack, Heinke van der Merwe will make his 31^stappearance of the season and is one of two forward changes as Shane Jennings comes in to link up with Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip in the back-row.

Leo Cullen skippers the team and starts alongside Scotland’s Nathan Hines, while the province can call upon three Ireland internationals off the bench in Cian Healy, Kevin McLaughlin and Devin Toner.

LEINSTER:

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Shane Horgan
13: Brian O’Driscoll
12: Fergus McFadden
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Nathan Hines
6: Sean O’Brien
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Cian Healy
18: Stan Wright
19: Devin Toner
20: Kevin McLaughlin
21: Paul O’Donohoe
22: Ian Madigan
23: Eoin O’Malley

REFEREE: Nigel Owens (WRU)

Owens to referee Magners League Grand Final

Posted on May 25, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Wales’ top referee Nigel Owens will take charge of the all-Irish Magners League Grand Final between Munster and Leinster at Thomond Park on Saturday, 28 May (Kick-Off 5.05pm)

It will be the 39-year-old Owens’ 75th Magners League contest and means a quick return to Limerick after controlling the Play-Off game between Munster and the Ospreys.

One of the elite 10 officials named for refereeing duty at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, where each will referee at least four Pool matches, Owens has been one of the world’s top officials for a number of years and is no stranger to a Munster v Leinster head-to-head.

One of Mynyddcerrig-born Owens’ favourite rugby memories is the 2009 Heineken Cup semi-final between the two great Irish rivals in front of world record club crowd of 82,208 fans at Croke Park. He was also in charge of the Play-Off game between the two Grand Finalists in Dublin last year, when Leinster beat Munster 16-6.

Owens, who controlled his 27th IRB Test when Ireland beat Scotland at Murrayfield in the 2011 RBS 6 Nations after making his international refereeing bow in the 2003 IRB match between Portugal and Georgia, has refereed two Heineken Cup finals – and today’s teams were both involved and the winners in those showpiece matches.

He was in the middle when Munster beat Toulouse 16-13 at the Millennium Stadium in 2008 and when Leinster triumphed 19-16 against Leicester Tigers at Murrayfield 12 months later.

The 2011 World Cup will be Owens’ second global tournament following his World Cup debut in Lyon, France, for the Argentina against Georgia match. He will be on duty at the Churchill Cup in England next month and returns to Ireland for the World Cup warm-up match between Brian O’Driscoll’s side and England at the Aviva Stadium on 27 August.

His Assistant Referees are fellow Welsh officials Tim Hayes, who is also heading to the Rugby World Cup as a touch judge, and David Jones.

Magners League Grand Final Preview

Posted on May 25, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Munster earned the right to host the Magners League Grand Final  at their home venue after finishing as the top team in the regular season and then beating the Ospreys 18-11 in their Play-Off at Thomond Park.

Their opponents, Leinster, saw off the inter-provincial challenge of Ulster with a 18-3 victory in the Play-Off at the RDS to claim their second consecutive appearance in the Grand Final.

Despite the Munster’s impressive record in the Magners League this season, winning the title is not a forgone conclusion – the inaugural Magners League Grand Final was won by the second seeds, Ospreys, and when you include the English and French tournaments which have long been decided in this manner, in 15 previous finals the top seed has won just six.

Add to that mix the fact that Leinster will be  looking to create a unique Celtic double of winning both the European and domestic titles for the first time, and the age old rivalry that an Irish interprovincial match always brings out, there is all to play for at a sold-out Thomond Park on Saturday.

Leinster squad update

Posted on May 25, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

The Leinster squad geared up for Saturday afternoon’s Magners League Grand Final against Munster in Thomond Park (KO: 5.05pm) with a training session in UCD on Tuesday morning.

Fresh from Saturday’s Heineken Cup triumph, the squad were put through their paces with the management reporting no fresh injury concerns ahead of this weekend’s Grand Final.

Jonathan Sexton’s 28 point haul brought his season tally in both competitions to 228 points in a game which was his 75th in Leinster colours. On the other end of the scoring spectrum, Leinster’s only other points scorer on Saturday was Scotland second row Nathan Hines who touched down for the first time in 45 appearances for the province.

Brian O’Driscoll successfully came through Saturday’s victory following the knee injury which had rendered him doubtful in the build up to last weekend’s game and the Ireland captain showed no ill effects and is expected to be available for selection this weekend.

Isa Nacewa’s next appearance, meanwhile, will be his 75th for the province.

The team will be announced on Friday lunchtime.

In a further boost, Leinster will be backed by a travelling support of well in excess of 6,500 followers in Thomond Park this weekend which will be the largest following to an away interprovincial league decider in the province’s history.