As Saturday approaches, Munster are set to play the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld at 4.05pm, Irish time. The match will be aired live on RTÉ and Premier Sports, and the stakes are high. Last year, Munster’s journey to South Africa spurred them on to seize the United Rugby Championship title, an achievement Mike Prendergast, the team’s backs coach, keenly recalls and seeks to replicate.
Their upcoming face-off is imbued with significance as the first of two games against the Bulls, a sequence of matches Munster hopes will clinch them yet another title. Despite falling recently to the Northampton Saints in the Champions Cup, Munster remains undeterred. The defeat has been somewhat softened by a short break last weekend and the return of some key players.
There are a few changes to look out for in the starting line-up after the previous game’s defeat. First up are Calvin Nash, Shane Daly and RG Snyman, players who were previously absent due to injury but are now fit enough to play. Conor Murray, Alex Kendellen and Jack O’Donoghue too, have been added to the starting team for Saturday’s match.
In a step away from the norm, Simon Zebo will switch to the fullback position, twinned with Nash and Daly who are due to begin on each wing. Jack Crowley will mirror Conor Murray as a starting scrumhalf, while Craig Casey has been moved to the subs bench. The trio forming the frontrow – Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, and Stephen Archer – remains unaltered, while Snyman and team captain Tadhg Beirne are set to form an unprecedented partnership in the secondrow.
Jack O’Donoghue makes his much-awaited return since the turn of the New Year, while Gavin Coombes will, in a seasonal first, not take his typical position as the starting number eight. John Hodnett is among the substitutes, and Alex Kendellen has been awarded the spot of openside flanker, encouraging hopes of an impactful performance. Following an injurious setback, Oli Jager is welcomed back amongst the matchday twenty-three.
The Bulls’ side also bears mention. In view of this game, Head Coach Jake White has called on a strong line-up of Springboks, a calculated strategy that follows his selection of a second-tier team against Northampton for their last Champions Cup quarter-final. This move led to an investigation by the EPCR but has not dampened the Bulls’ fighting spirit. The game is set to be a high-powered contest.
Following a surgical procedure, ex-Ulster number eight Marcell Coetzee is ruled out for the rest of the season. Nonetheless, the team’s lineup remains formidable. White, the coach, expressed intrigue with the team’s blend of youth and experience, praising the quick progress of 19-year-old lock Rheinhardt Ludwig and 21-year-old flank Cameron Hanekom. With only 23 years of age, the captain’s maturity is particularly impressive.
This youthful team excites White, with their blend of skills, speed, height, and raw fervour. Munster is well-aware of the upcoming match’s challenge. Prendergast, their coach, highlighted the importance of strategising in advance, particularly considering their opponent’s known prowess on both pitch halves.
The Bulls are known to cause havoc on the field due to their highly tactical play. Their forward pack’s brute strength combined with their try scoring abilities makes them an intimidating opposition. According to Prendergast, much of their game includes leading the opposition into disorganised, quick-play situations, resulting in mismatches that allow for quick turnovers and successful try attempts. As such, playing clever and mindful football is even more critical when playing at high elevations, where games can become relentless.
The upcoming match will undoubtedly prove challenging for Munster, who will be up against the Bulls. However, the team remains optimistic about their returning international players. With a point advantage of 11 favouring the Bulls, the challenge that Munster faces becomes more evident. However, if a victory seems far-fetched, any progress during the game will be seen as a positive.
BULLS Team Lineup: W Le Roux; K-L Arendse, C Moodie, D Kriel, S de Klerk; J Goosen, E Papier; G Steenekamp, J Grobbelaar, W Louw; R Vermaak, JF van Heerden; C Hanekom, R Ludwig, E Louw (capt).
The original text details the listing of replacements and the team of Munster. For the replacements, we have A van der Merwe, S Matanzima, M Smith, J Swanepoel, M Gumede, Z Burger, C Smith, and D Williams. The Munster team consists of S Zebo, C Nash, A Frisch, A Nankivell, S Daly, J Crowley, C Murray, J Loughman, N Scannell, S Archer, RG Snyman, T Beirne (capt), P O’Mahony, A Kendellen, and J O’Donoghue. Further replacements include E Clarke, J Wycherley, O Jager, T Ahern, G Coombes, C Casey, J Carbery, and J Hodnett. The game will be presided over by Referee A Jones from Wales.