Antoine Frisch boost for champions Munster as Ospreys forward has point to prove to Warren Gatland in first URC quarter-final
Antoine Frisch in action for Munster in the United Rugby Championship in 2024.
Defending champions and top seeds Munster will look to go a step closer to retaining their United Rugby Championship (URC) title when they face the Ospreys in Friday’s quarter-final.
The Irish province have been on a staggering run of form in the league, winning nine consecutive matches to finish at the summit.
Munster’s narrow victory over Ulster last weekend sealed the number one seeding and, as a result, they will take on the Ospreys in the last-eight of the URC.
The Welsh region snuck into the play-offs by winning their final two games against fellow countrymen the Dragons and Cardiff.
Team news
In team news, Munster have made three changes to their team that edged Ulster last week as Antoine Frisch makes a welcome return from injury at outside centre.
The Toulon-bound star is back from a leg issue and will make his 40th Munster appearance in the only tweak to the backline made by head coach Graham Rowntree.
Munster’s other alterations to the XV come in the forward pack where John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes come into the starting line-up at flanker and number eight.
The back three of Simon Zebo, Calvin Nash and Shane Daly is unchanged while Sean O’Brien has moved from outside to inside centre to accommodate Frisch’s return.
Ireland internationals Craig Casey and Jack Crowley continue their half-back partnership as Tony Butler comes onto the bench in place of the injured Joey Carbery.
Up front Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell and Stephen Archer pack down in the front-row as RG Snyman and captain Tadhg Beirne make up an unchanged front five.
Veteran Peter O’Mahony, Hodnett and Coombes start in the back-row with the latter pair having been hugely influential off the bench during their recent URC fixtures.
In a boost to the squad, Diarmuid Barron is included on the bench after recovering from a foot injury sustained in December. He takes the place of Eoghan Clarke.
Barron, John Ryan and Oli Jager provide front-row back-up for the reigning champions as Jack O’Donoghue and Alex Kendellen complete Munster’s forward cover.
Conor Murray, Butler and Mike Haley are the backline replacements as the full-back returns to the squad after missing last week’s regular-season win over Ulster.
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Meanwhile, the Ospreys make just one change from the side that defeated Cardiff 33-29 last week, the result which took them into the last-eight at the expense of the Lions.
Owen Williams is the only alteration from that team as he comes in for Dan Edwards, who drops out of the squad altogether through injury.
Edwards is replaced in the 23 by Luke Scully, who has only played 13 minutes for the region since mid-December.
Williams combines at half-back with Reuben Morgan-Williams, while Max Nagy, Luke Morgan and Keelan Giles are in the back three.
Keiran Williams and Owen Watkin once again combine to make a formidable centre pairing and they will look to get the Ospreys over the gain line.
Up front, Morgan Morris has a point to prove after missing out on the Wales squad and he is joined in the back-row by outstanding flankers Justin Tipuric and Jac Morgan.
Finally, the front five sees James Ratti and Huw Sutton in the engine room, with Tom Botha, Dewi Lake and Nicky Smith the front-row trio.
On the bench, there is just one more alteration alongside Scully with Morgan Morse coming in for Harri Deaves.
The teams
Munster: 15 Simon Zebo, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Antoine Frisch, 12 Seán O’Brien, 11 Shane Daly, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 Tadhg Beirne (c), 4 RG Snyman, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Jeremy Loughman
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 John Ryan, 18 Oli Jager, 19 Jack O’Donoghue, 20 Alex Kendellen, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Tony Butler, 23 Mike Haley
Ospreys: 15 Max Nagy, 14 Luke Morgan, 13 Owen Watkin, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Justin Tipuric (c), 6 Jac Morgan, 5 Huw Sutton, 4 James Ratti, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Nicky Smith
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Rhys Henry, 19 Victor Sekekete, 20 Morgan Morse, 21 Luke Davies, 22 Luke Scully, 23 Harri Houston.
Date: Friday, June 7
Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick
Kick-off: 19:35 BST (18:35 GMT)
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Andrea Piardi (Italy), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)