Preview: Champions Cup, Racing 92 v Munster

Editor

Munster head coach Johann van Graan has confirmed his side for Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final against Racing 92 at Stade Chaban-Delmas.

The clash will be a record 13th semi-final for the province and their first trip to the venue since the famous 31-25 win over Toulouse at the semi-final stage 18 years ago.

There are nine changes to the side that defeated the Cheetahs 19-17 in Bloemfontein last Friday.

Keith Earls returns from injury to make his 150th Munster appearance on the right wing with Alex Wootton coming into the side on the opposite flank.

Andrew Conway maintains his place in the starting XV as he moves to full-back.

Sammy Arnold and the returning Rory Scannell resume their centre partnership with Ian Keatley and Conor Murray in the half-backs.

Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell and Stephen Archer make up the front-row with dependable second-row duo Jean Kleyn and Billy Holland starting in the engine room.

Captain Peter O’Mahony, Jack O’Donoghue and CJ Stander are the back-row forwards.

Rhys Marshall, James Cronin and John Ryan provide the front-row cover with Gerbrandt Grobler and Robin Copeland completing the forward replacements.

James Hart, JJ Hanrahan and Simon Zebo are the backline substitutes.

Meanwhile, Racing 92 have made just one change to their XV from their quarter-final victory over Clermont as Ben Tameifuna misses out, so Cedate Gomes Sa comes into the tighthead jersey this week in Bordeaux.

Viliamu Afatia replaces Gomes Sa on the bench where he is joined by Dimitri Szarzewski, Antonie Claassen and Teddy Iribaren as new faces.

The teams:

Racing 92: 15 Louis Dupichot, 14 Teddy Thomas, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Henry Chavancy, 11 Marc Andreu, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Yannick Nyanga, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Donnacha Ryan, 3 Cedate Gomes Sa, 2 Camille Chat, 1 Eddy Ben Arous
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Vasil Kakovin, 18 Viliamu Afatia, 19 Antonie Claassen, 20 Baptiste Chouzenoux, 21 Teddy Iribaren, 22 Dan Carter, 23 Joe Rokocoko

Munster: 15 Andrew Conway, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Alex Wootton, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Jack O’Donoghue, 6 Peter O’Mahony (c), 5 Billy Holland, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Dave Kilcoyne
Replacements: 16 Rhys Marshall, 17 James Cronin, 18 John Ryan, 19 Gerbrandt Grobler, 20 Robin Copeland, 21 James Hart, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Simon Zebo

Date: Sunday, April 22
Venue: Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Kick-off: 16:15 local (14:15 GMT)
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Luke Pearce (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

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