Nov 02,2024
The show must go on.
Four days on from the departure of head coach Graham Rowntree, the latest new era at Munster gets under way as the province welcome an All Blacks XV to Thomond Park for a marquee friendly (5.30pm kick-off).
For a game that has been highly anticipated and sold out for several months, it's a shame that it will be played out under the cloud of a shock coaching change.
Head of rugby operations Ian Costello has been appointed interim head coach while the province find a permanent replacement, having previously stepped in to do so in November 2021, when the majority of Munster's players and coaching staff were stranded in South Africa after a Covid-19 outbreak.
It's the first time since 2016 that Munster have hosted an All Blacks representative team, but it's the third year in a row they they have played a high-profile friendly against southern hemisphere opposition.
Their wins against a South Africa XV in November 2022, and versus the Crusaders in February 2024, both brought in big crowds at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and those victories arguably kick-started what had been poor seasons to that point.
Something similar against what looks like being a strong All Blacks XV would be a tonic after a week to forget in the province.
ONLINE
We'll have a match report and post-game reaction from Thomond Park on rte.ie/sport.
TV
The game is being streamed on Munster's internal platform Access Munster.
WEATHER
It looks like there will be favourable rugby conditions in Limerick on Saturday evening.
There's no rain forecast and just some moderate wind, with temperatures of 10-12C expected.
PREVOUS MEETINGS
It's arguable that outside of Test rugby, no other team has a more famous history with the All Blacks than Munster do.
This will be the tenth meeting of the province and a New Zealand representative side, dating all the way back to 1905, when The Original All Blacks came to Limerick and won 33-0, captained by Irish-born Dave Gallagher.
The most famous meeting of these teams came back in 1978, when Christy Cantillon became a table quiz question forever more by scoring the only try in a 12-0 Munster win at Thomond Park, while Tony Ward kicked a conversion and two drop-goals, handing the All Blacks their only defeat of that year's northern hemisphere tour.
Thirty years later, New Zealand returned to Thomond to mark the stadium's redevelopment in 2008, and only a late Joe Rokocoko try saw them escape with a 18-16 win.
The most recent encounter came eight years ago when the Maori All Blacks came to Thomond, and were no match for Rassie Erasmus' side who were 27-14 winners (below) in an emotionally charged night, just a few weeks on from the death of Anthony Foley.
Of the current Munster squad, Stephen Archer and Niall and Rory Scannell both started that game eight years ago, while a 24-year-old James Lowe scored one of the Maori tries, just over 12 months before making them move to these shores with Leinster.
Munster 0-33 New Zealand - Markets Field, Limerick (28 November 1905)
Munster 3-6 New Zealand - The Mardyke, Cork (13 January 1954)
Munster 3-6 New Zealand - Thomond Park, Limerick (11 December 1963)
Munster 3-3 New Zealand - Musgrave Park, Cork (16 January 1973)
Munster 4-14 New Zealand - Thomond Park (9 November 1974)
Munster 12-0 New Zealand - Thomond Park (31 October, 1978)
Munster 9-31 New Zealand - Musgrave Park (11 November 1989)
Munster 16-18 New Zealand - Thomond Park (18 November 2008)
Munster 27-14 Maori All Blacks - Thomond Park (11 November 2016)
TEAM NEWS
While Munster are without a number of players due to injury and international commitments, the province have been able to field a good quality side, with Costello blending together a mix of youth and experience.
The return of Peter O'Mahony from a hamstring injury comes as a huge boost, not least for Ireland head coach Andy Farrell ahead of this month's Autumn Nations Series. The 35-year-old packs down alongside John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes in what is arguably a first choice back row.
Diarmuid Barron captains the side, wedged in at hooker between veteran props John Ryan and Stephen Archer, while Tom Ahern and Fineen Wycherley are at lock.
Ethan Coughlan and Billy Burns make up the half-backs, with Tom Farrell and Rory Scannell at centre.
Diarmuid Kilgallen makes his debut on the wing, with Mike Haley and Shay McCarthy completing the side.
There will also be a debut off the bench for former Ireland U20 captain Evan O'Connell. O'Connell was previously in a matchday squad two years ago during Munster's injury crisis in 2022, but didn't feature off the bench that day against Ulster.
There are plenty of recognisable names in the All Blacks XV.
Head coach Clayton McMillan, who previously worked with Munster's John Ryan and Alex Nankivell at the Chiefs, has picked four capped New Zealand internationals in his starting line-up, with another two named on the bench.
One name that jumps off the page is Shaun Stevenson at full-back. The 27-year-old has made a habit of tormenting Irish opposition, scoring four tries in three games for the Maori All Blacks and All Blacks XV against Irish sides in 2022.
Loosehead prop George Bower is a seasoned campaigner, while Test scrum-half Finlay Christie is paired up with his Blues team-mate Harry Plummer in the half-backs.
Quinn Tupaea is the fourth capped All Black in the starting side. The centre started in two of the three Tests against Ireland in the 2022 series in New Zealand, scoring a try in the All Blacks' win in the series opener in Auckland.
Munster: Mike Haley; Shay McCarthy, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan; John Ryan, Diarmuid Barron (capt), Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern; Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Kieran Ryan, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Ruadhán Quinn, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Ben O’Connor.
All Blacks XV: Shaun Stevenson; Chay Fihaki, AJ Lam, Quinn Tupaea, Kini Naholo; Harry Plummer, Finlay Christie; George Bower, Brodie McAllister, George Dyer; Isaia Walker-Leawere, Fabian Holland; Oliver Haig, Du'Plessis Kirifi (capt), Devan Flanders.
Replacements: Bradley Slater, Xavier Numia, Marcel Renata, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Corey Kellow, Noah Hotham, Josh Jacomb, Ruben Love
Munster are the only Irish side in action this week, but on the international scene there are two games as part of the Autumn Nations Series.
Irish fans will have a keen eye on Twickenham where next week's opponents take on England on Saturday at 3.10pm.
Later that evening at 5.40, Scotland welcome Fiji to Murrayfield, with Ireland also set to host the Fijians in November.
