Fineen Wycherley Returns From Injury For Benetton Trip

The Munster team has been named ahead of Saturday’s URC round 13 clash away to Benetton in Italy (2.30pm Irish time, live on TG4 & Premier Sports).

Niall Scannell will captain Munster for the second time with eight personnel changes and one positional switch to the side that were beaten in Toulouse last week.

Joey Carbery starts at out-half on his 50th Munster appearance with replacement Ben Healy also in line to play his 50th game for Munster.

Liam Coombes, Malakai Fekitoa and Paddy Patterson come into the backline with Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Sullivan and Alex Kendellen joining the pack.

Fineen Wycherley makes his first appearance in almost four months after recovering from a shoulder injury.

Shane Daly moves to full-back in the absence of the injured Mike Haley with Calvin Nash and Coombes on either flank.

Fekitoa and Frisch start together in midfield with Patterson and Carbery in the half-backs.

Josh Wycherley, Scannell and Salanoa start in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Fineen Wycherley in the engine room.

O’Sullivan, John Hodnett and no.8 Kendellen complete the starting XV.

Greencore Munster Rugby Academy forwards Mark Donnelly, Cian Hurley and Ruadhan Quinn are named among the replacements.

Prop Donnelly is set for his first appearance of the season while 19-year-old Quinn, who has been named in the Ireland U20s squad for the 6 Nations, became the province’s youngest player of the professional era against Zebre last October.

Stephen Archer, Neil Cronin and Rory Scannell all return to the squad with Cronin set for his first appearance since the win over South Africa A at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

On the injury front, Keynan Knox (knee) returned to full training this week.

In player news, John Ryan was unavailable due to family reasons.

Munster: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Malakai Fekitoa, Liam Coombes; Joey Carbery, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell (C), Roman Salanoa; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Sullivan, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Mark Donnelly, Stephen Archer, Cian Hurley, Ruadhan Quinn, Neil Cronin, Ben Healy, Rory Scannell.