Australia bound for Thomond Park
THE Wallabies are coming to Limerick to face Munster in Thomond Park on November 16.
Australia play England in Twickenham on November 13 and will then travel to Ireland for the game against Munster on Tuesday November 16.
"I believe it's a great tribute to Munster's standing in World rugby that the Wallabies have agreed to extend their travel to include this fixture. I welcome the opportunity to hopefully replicate the marvellous occasion that we had last time an international side (All Blacks) visited Thomond Park to play Munster and this is a fixture we are already all looking forward to," said Munster coach Tony McGahan.
Tickets for this fixture will be confirmed at a later date and will initially be sold through the Munster clubs and the Munster Rugby Supporters Club.
Australian coach Robbie Deans is also excited about the visit to Limerick.
"To be able to play Munster – one of the true powerhouse provinces of the European game – will be a great experience for our players, while also providing an excellent development opportunity. The additional non-Test matches that we have played on our last two Northern Hemisphere tours have been of great benefit to Australian Rugby, in terms of exposing players, and we expect this trip to be no different," said Deans.
Munster has a great record against the Australians with wins in 1967, 1980 and in 1992 when an injury time drop goal byJim Galvin defeated the then world champions.
Wallabies assistant coach Jim Williams, who spent six years at Munster has a player, a captain and later a forward mentor, said the game at Thomond Park will be an unforgettable occasion for the Aussies.
"It will be a huge night," he said.
"Knowing the passion the people of Munster have for the game, and how they get behind their team, it's going to be a massive match for us. Matches against international sides are rare for club teams these days, and you saw what it meant to Munster two years ago when they last had the opportunity to play an international side. They led the All Blacks until late in the game before going down 18-16," said the former Munster hero.
"That was a cracking game. The atmosphere inside Thomond Park looked incredible, and it surely lifted the players, as it will again when we play there. Munster has great depth. Knowing (the Munster coach) Tony McGann as I do, I'm sure he will have a fair idea even now as which players he'll be able to turn out against us, and it will be a strong side, don't worry about that. Playing them at Thomond Park will be a major challenge. We certainly know what we are in for, but it's a game we will look forward to and it will be a great learning curve for our players," said Williams.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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