Johann van Graan relies on big guns for Heineken Cup clash
Johann van Graan had bad news for the majority of Munster players who earned a bonus-point Guinness PRO14 victory over Zebre at Thomond Park on Saturday night, he had already decided on his starting line-up for this weekend’s European quarter-final trip to Edinburgh.
The Munster head coach saw a team of European hopefuls overcome a shaky start against the struggling Italian side, overhauling a 12-0 deficit after just 18 minutes to run in five tries for a 31-12 victory in Limerick.
Yet while the round 18 win with three games of the regular league season remaining was vital to maintaining the province’s hopes of reeling in Conference A leaders Glasgow Warriors and securing a home semi-final, van Graan declared he would be relying on the big guns that set up this Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final clash at Murrayfield by beating English Premiership leaders Exeter Chiefs in the final pool game on January 19.
That immediately ruled out 12 of last night’s starting XV as van Graan said: “Look, we have a set starting 15. The team that played against Exeter, hopefully, most of them will be available against Edinburgh.
Monday will be the first time since the Exeter game that the whole squad will be back together so I don’t see massive changes from that game.
"One or two guys put up their hand for selection and I’ll have a real good look at the game.
“I think it’s also important to look at the season and what we need to beat Edinburgh. Class side. Move forward and make a few decisions next week.”
With only full-back Mike Haley and inside centre Rory Scannell of the side which faced Exeter starting against Zebre and not involved in Ireland’s Six Nations campaign over the last two months, Munster welcomed back CJ Stander at No.8 and as team captain while fellow Ireland internationals Niall Scannell, John Ryan and Chris Farrell were reintegrated off the bench while lock uncapped first-choice lock Jean Kleyn was also used as a replacement.
Munster will on Monday see another raft of Test players return to training following an extra week’s rest, with club captain Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Keith Earls, Andrew Conway, Dave Kilcoyne and Tadhg Beirne all back in harness.
The one major concern is fly-half Joey Carbery, who missed the last three games of Ireland’s championship campaign with a hamstring strain and was not ready to return against Zebre. Head coach van Graan started JJ Hanrahan at 10 against the Italians in Limerick on Saturday but replaced the Kerryman after just 51 minutes and replacement out-half Tyler Bleyendaal’s performance off the bench was praised by his boss.
“I thought he was really good,” van Graan said of Bleyendaal. “Very happy with the way he dominated territory, took the ball to the line and his decision making was pretty good so really happy for Tyler.”
