Throwback Thursday - In association with Glasshouse Opticians
Search
05 Dec 2025
Search
05 Dec 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Munster Rugby's Craig Casey starts at scrum half this weekend I PICTURE: Sportsfile
The Munster Rugby team has been named for Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup opener against Bath at The Rec (8pm, live on Premier Sports).
Munster host Gloucester at SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday week in our first Champions Cup home fixture of the campaign. Kick-off is at 5.30pm with limited tickets remaining here.
There are five changes to the side that faced DHL Stormers last week.
Summer arrivals Dan Kelly and JJ Hanrahan come into the backline with Kelly set for his first Champions Cup appearance for Munster.
Michael Milne, Jean Kleyn and John Hodnett start in the pack with Kleyn back from international duty with the Springboks.
READ NEXT: Seven Limerick club rugby sides seek pre-Christmas cheer in All-Ireland League
Michael Ala’alatoa is set for his Munster debut as a replacement after joining until the end of the season from Clermont Auvergne. Fellow replacement Alex Kendellen, who made his return from injury for UCC last week, is set for his first appearance since the URC round one win over Scarlets in September.
Shane Daly, Diarmuid Kilgallen and Thaakir Abrahams start in an unchanged back three with Kelly and Tom Farrell in midfield.
Craig Casey and Hanrahan start in the half-backs. Jack Crowley, Calvin Nash, Andrew Smith, Jack O'Donoghue, Brian Gleeson and Oli Jager all miss this weekend's Champions Cup clash througn injury.
Milne, Diarmuid Barron and John Ryan pack down in the front row as Kleyn and Tom Ahern start in the engine room. Milne makes his first Champions Cup appearance for Munster.
Captain Tadhg Beirne, Hodnett and Gavin Coombes are in the back row.
Lee Barron, Jeremy Loughman and Ala’alatoa provide the front row back-up with Edwin Edogbo, Ruadhán Quinn and Kendellen completing the forward cover. Lee Barron, Edogbo and Quinn are in line for their Champions Cup debuts.
Ethan Coughlan and Alex Nankivell are the backline replacements.
Munster Rugby: Shane Daly; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Tom Farrell, Dan Kelly, Thaakir Abrahams; JJ Hanrahan, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Tom Ahern; Tadhg Beirne (C), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Lee Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Michael Ala’alatoa, Edwin Edogbo, Ruadhán Quinn, Ethan Coughlan, Alex Nankivell, Alex Kendellen.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
