Paul O’Connell’s selection timely for Munster with Heineken Cup looming

Paul O' Connell's selection in the Munster secondrow for only the second time this season is as much looking towards next week as consolidating their place on top of the Pro12 league table.

Whatever about the Autumn Series and what it took out of the players, this weekend's trip to Wales is as much about giving some shape to Munster for next weekend's Heineken Cup meeting with Perpignan in Thomond Park as it is about picking up league points against the Dragons.

Both are priorities in the mind of coach Rob Penney as Munster trail the French club in their European pool by a point after two matches.

O'Connell's presence will bring knowledge and direction against a home side who are pretty pleased with their recent form in the league, having beaten Gregor Townsend's Glasgow last week.

Debut appearance
For that coach Lyn Jones has kept with the same team while Penney makes 12 changes to Munster, among them the debut appearance of South African winger Gerhard van den Heever alongside a bunch of others back from injury including the badly-missed Keith Earls and James Downey in the centre and Ian Keatley at outhalf.

Flanker CJ Stander and captain Billy Holland are the two forwards to hold their places, with props Stephen Archer and David Kilcoyne and hooker Mike Sherry filling this week’s front row.

Archer said this week that Rodney Parade was a difficult place to go, having been turned over there 30-24 last April. But the team has not been as badly affected as in previous years by the international demands. Just three from the squad – O’Connell, Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray – started last week against the All Blacks. O’Mahony and Murray have yet to come back in.

"There are some players getting an opportunity this week that will need to play well to force their hand in terms of ERC selection," said Penney this week. "It's exciting because the other guys have done their job and when you're growing in depth and guys are getting rotated in, then they've got to perform well when they get their opportunity."
DRAGONS: D Evans; W Harries, P Leach, R Wardle, M Pewtner; J Tovey, R Rees; O Evans, S Parry, F Chaparro, C Hill, R Sidoli, L Evans, N Cudd, N Talei. Replacements: E Dee, A Coundley, D way, M Screech, I Jones, W Evans, S Jones, A Smith.
MUNSTER: F Jones; G van den Heever, K Earls, J Downey, D Hurley; I Keatly, D Williams; D Kilcoyne, M Sherry, S Archer, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, B Holland, CJ Stander, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Varley, J Cronin, BJ Botha, I Nagle, B O'Mahony, C Sheridan, JJ Hanrahan, I Dineen
Referee: M Mitrea (Italy).
Verdict: Munster win.