Munster Rugby name team to face Harlequins in Friday night friendly

MUNSTER RUGBY have named their team to face Harlequins in a friendly at the Twickenham Stoop tomorrow, Friday March 23 at 7:45pm. The game will be streamed live on the Harlequins YouTube channel here. 

Alex Kendellen captains the 25-man squad that includes a mixture of senior, Academy and talented young club players. Limerick Academy hooker Max Clein and out-half Dylan Hicks (both Garryowen) are set for their first senior Munster appearances.

Clein is a former Crescent College Comprehensive student with Hicks coming up through the ranks at Bantry Bay RFC and Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí.

Academy trio Fionn Gibbons, Shay McCarthy and Ethan Coughlan all start with Clein, Hicks, Mark Donnelly, Daniel Okeke and Tony Butler among the replacements.

Mike Haley starts at full-back after making his return from injury against Scarlets with Gibbons and McCarthy on either wing.

Rory Scannell and Seán O’Brien start together in midfield with O’Brien making his first appearance at centre for Munster. Coughlan and Joey Carbery team up in the half-backs.

Josh Wycherley, Scott Buckley and John Ryan pack down in the front row with Cian Hurley and Fineen Wycherley in the engine room. Hurley made his return to action from a long-term achilles/ankle injury for Garryowen in the AIL last week.

Jack Daly, Kendellen and Jack O’Sullivan complete the starting XV.

Clein, Donnelly and Stephen Archer provide the front-row back-up with Nowak and Okeke completing the forward cover.

Neil Cronin, Butler, Hicks, Colm Hogan and Kiely are the backline replacements.

Munster: Mike Haley; Fionn Gibbons, Seán O’Brien, Rory Scannell, Shay McCarthy; Joey Carbery, Ethan Coughlan; Josh Wycherley, Scott Buckley, John Ryan; Fineen Wycherley, Cian Hurley; Jack Daly, Alex Kendellen (C), Jack O’Sullivan.

Replacements: Max Clein, Mark Donnelly, Stephen Archer, Kamil Nowak, Daniel Okeke, Neil Cronin, Tony Butler, Dylan Hicks, Colm Hogan, Stephen Kiely.