Oli Jager named on Munster bench as URC champions host high-flying Glasgow Warriors

Dylan Coetzee
Munster stars celebrate a try.

Munster stars celebrate a try.

Round Seven of the United Rugby Championship begins with one match on Friday as Munster take on Glasgow Warriors in what should be a thriller.

The hosts will be led by hooker Diarmuid Barron who is alongside veteran Stephen Archer and Jeremy Loughman in the front-row whilst academy product Edwin Edogbo partners Ireland international Tadhg Beirne in the locks.

The hard-working Gavin Coombes starts alongside John Hodnett and Tom Ahern in the back-row with scrum-half Craig Casey and Jack Crowley in the half-backs.

Oli Jager on bench

New signing Alex Nankivell shifts to inside centre with Antoine Frisch joining him in the middle of the park. Shane Daly, Calvin Nash and Sean O’Brien complete the starting side.

New Zealander Oli Jager could make his debut off the bench with Scott Buckley and Dave Kilcoyne as the front-row substitutions. Fineen Wycherley and Brian Gleeson are the other forwards head coach Graham Rowntree can call on.

Veteran star Conor Murray takes his place alongside Rory Scannell and Alex Kendellen as the last options for Munster.

Meanwhile for Glasgow, popular figure Johnny Matthews starts in a new front-row alongside Lucio Sordoni and Nathan McBeth with Sintu Manjezi and Scott Cummings completing the tight five.

The industrious Rory Darge starts alongside Sione Vailanu on the flanks with Henco Venter completing a combative back-row.

Stafford McDowall leads the side from the centres with the fan favourite Sione Tuipulotu partnering him in midfield.

Full-back Josh McKay starts with Kyle Rowe and Ollie Smith in the back three whilst fly-half Duncan Weir and Sean Kennedy make up the half-back pairing.

On the pine, Zander Fagerson, Oli Kebble and Angus Fraser are very useful front-row options with Greg Peterson, Max Williamson and Thomas Gordon the forward options in a 6-2 split. Ben Afshar and Tom Jordan complete the matchday squad.

The teams

Munster15 Shane Daly, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Antoine Frisch, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Seán O’Brien, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Tom Ahern, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 Edwin Edogbo, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Diarmuid Barron (c), 1 Jeremy Loughman
Replacements: 16 Scott Buckley, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Oli Jager, 19 Fineen Wycherley, 20 Brian Gleeson, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Rory Scannell, 23 Alex Kendellen

Glasgow Warriors15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Sione Tuipulotu, 12 Stafford McDowall (c), 11 Ollie Smith, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Sean Kennedy, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Sione Vailanu, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Lucio Sordoni, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Nathan McBeth
Replacements: 16 Angus Fraser, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Greg Peterson, 20 Max Williamson, 21 Thomas Gordon, 22 Ben Afshar, 23 Tom Jordan

Venue: Musgrave Park, Cork
Kick-off: 19:35 GMT
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
Assistant Referees: Dan Carson (IRFU), Sam Holt (IRFU)
TMO: Aimee Barrett Theron (SARU)

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