Munster warm up for Bayonne with URC win

MUNSTER RUGBY head coach, Graham Rowntree has been hugely impressed by young Tom Ahern's transition to number six ahead of the first round of the Investec Champions Cup next weekend.

Ahern scored two tries during Friday night's bonus point URC win over Glasgow Warriors in Cork and found himself out on the wings more than usual. Munster Rugby open their Champions Cup pool campaign with a home fixture against French Top 14 side Bayonne at Thomond Park on Saturday, 5.30pm kick-off, live RTE2.

Speaking after Friday's win over Glasgow, Graham Rowntree spoke about Ahern's switch to flanker from his more traditional position in the second-row.

“We'd spoken about him, even when he was in the second row, about using him on the edge of the field more, and then we made the decision last week before the Leinster game to put him back to six,” Rowntree explained.

“I remember telling him the morning of training, 'How about six?' and he just lit up. Tom's not that expressive as a person, but I was impressed by it, how he's taken to the position. It's good, he's not perfect, but he's showing to be a very versatile back five player.

“I'm chuffed with how he's going. We've got some serious competition in that back-five now.”

There are only three places in that back-row for players and the possibility of Peter O'Mahony and Jack O'Donoughue both being back for this weekends Champions Cup game against Bayonne in Limerick puts extra pressure on the players that are already there to maintain their spots.

After the Glasgow Warriors game, Rowntree said there were a few knocksfrom the Glasgow game but he is hoping to put out his strongest team out this Saturday.

“We will pick a team Thursday, we'll get the week out of the way and see how lads pull up after tonight. There's already going to be a few knocks, you can see that, we'll give the guys a few days off, assess that Monday. I am going to leave off picking the team as long as I can to see do any of the lads pull through for selection.

“Champions Cup is a special competition and now we have such a selection of players, the question is who are we dropping? It is very exciting.”

This will be the first time for Munster to play Bayonne.