Jack Crowley has been ruled out of Munster’s opening Champions Cup game against Bath at The Rec on Saturday (kick-off 8pm, live on Premier Sports).
The 25-year-old suffered an ankle injury just seven seconds into last Saturday’s anti-climactic 26-21 URC loss to the Stormers at Thomond Park when the opposing flanker Paul de Villiers caught Crowley on his follow through when attempting a charge down.
Although Crowley played the full match against the Stormers, he missed training last Monday, after which defence coach Denis Leamy said Munster were “very hopeful” the outhalf would be fit. But Crowley has not been named in the ‘23’ to face the English champions and their former head coach Johann van Graan.
In his place JJ Hanrahan, who rejoined his native province for a third spell in the close season, will start at outhalf as one of five changes to the starting XV from last weekend.
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Another summer signing Dan Kelly makes his first Champions Cup appearance for Munster, while up front Michael Milne, Jean Kleyn and John Hodnett start - Kleyn having returned from international duty with the Springboks in their win over Wales last Saturday.
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.
Kendellen is part of a 6-2 bench along with Lee Barron, Edwin Edogbo and Ruadhán Quinn, who will make their Champions Cup debuts, while Ethan Coughlan and Alex Nankivell are the backline replacements.
Crowley joins Calvin Nash (shoulder), Andrew Smith (knee/hamstring) and Jack O’Donoghue (concussion), who could all return for next Saturday week’s home game against Gloucester at Páirc Ui Chaoimh, whereas Brian Gleeson (elbow/four weeks) and Oli Jager (head/January) are longer term absentees.
Bundee Aki has been handed the captaincy of Connacht for the first time in his decade with the province, for Sunday’s EPCR Challenge Cup pool opener against Ospreys at Brewery Field in Bridgend (kick-off 3.15pm).
Aki’s return for his 154th appearance for Connacht is one of nine changes made by Stuart Lancaster to the side which beat the Sharks in Galway last weekend. Partnering Aki in the centre is their recently arrived utility back from the Highlanders, Sam Gilbert, who makes his full Connacht debut, having come off the bench against the Sharks.
The back three sees Shane Jennings make his first appearance of the season on the wing, with Finn Treacy on the opposite side after his hat-trick for Galwegians in the AIL last weekend, and the in-form Seán Naughton continuing at full-back.
In the forwards, the vastly experienced front row of Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan and Finlay Bealham start together for the first time in the campaign, while there’s a new-look second row pairing of Joe Joyce and David O’Connor. There’s just the one change in the back row, with Sean O’Brien coming in at openside, while Josh Murphy and Sean Jansen are retained.
On the bench there’s a potential debut for the highly-regarded first year Academy centre Sean Walsh. There are high hopes for the talented, physically powerful 19-year-old, who came through the pathway system at Corinthians RFC and Coláiste Éinde.
Munster (v Bath): 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.
Connacht (v Ospreys): Seán Naughton; Shane Jennings, Sam Gilbert, Bundee Aki (C), Finn Treacy; Jack Carty, Ben Murphy; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Joe Joyce, David O’Connor, Josh Murphy, Seán O’Brien, Sean Jansen. Replacements: Eoin de Buitléar, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Darragh Murray, Paul Boyle, Colm Reilly, Sean Walsh, Harry West.
