European Champions Cup Pool Four: Benetton Treviso v Munster
(Sunday, 1pm, live on BT Sport)
DEAD rubbers with Treviso. Who would have thought it would come to this for Munster?
They travel to Italy with nothing at stake for either side. There is a very, very minute mathematical chance that Munster could qualify, but it is so remote that it’s barely worth discussing.
Still, they have gone with a strong squad, which includes all seven players named in Ireland’s Six Nations squad. Six of them start on Sunday, with replacement prop James Cronin who, earlier this week, signed a new three-year contract the only exception.
John Ryan starts at tighthead having followed suit with a new three-year deal on Friday, while Andrew Conway’s two-year extension was further good news for Munster. He isn’t included, with Simon Zebo - whose lack of a contract resolution seems to be pointing towards a Thomond Park exit - named at full-back. New Irish recruit CJ Stander continues alongside fellow international Tommy O’Donnell and Billy Holland in a well-established back-row.
Treviso head coach Marius Goosen has made six changes from the side that was well beaten by Leicester last weekend. Alberto Sgarbi will make his 150th appearance in the centre, while Matteo Zanusso, Ornel Gega, Alessandro Steyn and Andrea Pratichetti celebrate their Italian Six Nations call-ups with appearances alongside experienced skipper Alessandro Zanni.
Luke McLean is among the replacements, though Edoardo Gori misses out through injury. Francesco Minto and Marco Fuser are both rested.
TEAM NEWS
Munster: S Zebo; K Earls, F Saili, R Scannell, R O'Mahony; I Keatley, C Murray; D Kilcoye, M Sherry, J Ryan; D Foley, D Ryan; B Holland, T O'Donnell, CJ Stander; Replacements: N Scannell, J Cronin, M Sagario, M Chisholm, R Copeland, J O'Donoghue, T O'Leary, G van den Heever
Treviso: J Hayward; A Pratichetti, H Bacchin, A Sgarbi, S Ragusi; J Ambrosini, A Lucchese; M Zanusso, O Gega, S Ferrari; M Fuser, J Montauriol; M Lazzaroni, A Zanni, A Steyn; Replacements: D Giazzon, A de Marchi, S Manu, T Palmer, M Barbini, T Iannone, S Christie, L McLean
