URC Quarter-Final Lineups: Cooney raises the bat, O’Mahony returns
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The teams for the quarter-final of the United Rugby Championship between Ulster Rugby and Munster Rugby at Kingspan Stadium on Friday (KO 19.35).
HEADLINES
- John Cooney will make his 100th appearance for Ulster, as he has been named to start at scrum-half
- Stephen Archer will make his 248th appearances for Munster with Peter O’Mahony returning to captain the side
ULSTER TEAM NEWS
John Cooney will make his 100th appearance for the province, as he has been named to start at scrum-half alongside Billy Burns at out-half. Stuart McCloskey and James Hume will make up the midfield partnership while Stewart Moore is the only change to the starting XV that defeated Sharks two weeks ago, and he is named at full-back. Joining him in the back three are Ethan McIlroy and Rob Baloucoune.
Packing down in the front row are Andrew Warwick at loosehead prop and Tom O’Toole at tighthead, with Rob Herring selected at hooker. Captain Iain Henderson will partner URC Tackle Machine winner, Alan O’Connor in the second row. Marcus Rea gets the nod at blindside flanker, and Nick Timoney is selected at openside with Duane Vermeulen completing the forward pack at Number Eight. John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Gareth Milasinovich, Kieran Treadwell and Matty Rea will provide the forward options off the bench. Nathan Doak, Ian Madigan and Ben Moxham are the back line replacements.
MUNSTER TEAM NEWS
Peter O’Mahony returns to captain Munster and is one of four personnel changes to the side that faced Leinster in the final regular game of the season. Jack O’Donoghue was unavailable due to a back strain.
Centre Damian de Allende, no.8 Gavin Coombes, and prop Stephen Archer also start for the knock-out clash with Coombes making his first appearance since the beginning of April after overcoming an ankle injury. It’s a landmark occasion for Stephen Archer who will make his 248th appearance in red on Friday night becoming Munster’s second most-capped player.
The tighthead prop joins Josh Wycherley and Niall Scannell in the front row. There’s a positional switch for Fineen Wycherley who returns to the second row to pack down with Jean Kleyn. The back row trio of O’Mahony, Greencore Munster Rugby Academy man Alex Kendellen and Coombes complete the pack.
In the backline de Allende resumes his midfield partnership with Chris Farrell and the half-back partnership of Conor Murray and Joey Carbery remains unchanged. It is as you were for Keith Earls, Andrew Conway, and Mike Haley in the back three.
LINEUPS
Ulster: Stewart Moore, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, John Cooney, Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (CAPT), Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen
Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Gareth Milasinovich, Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Nathan Doak, Ian Madigan, Ben Moxham
Munster: Mike Haley, Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Keith Earls, Joey Carbery, Conor Murray, Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Peter O’Mahony (CAPT), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Jason Jenkins, Thomas Ahern, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Chris Cloete
Kingspan Stadium, Belfast – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU, 10th league game)
AR 1: Hollie Davidson (SRU) AR 2: Ben Blain (SRU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuisen (SARU)
Live on: Premier Sports, TG4, SuperSport & URC TV
