Healy named to start in Munster’s URC season opener

Ben Healy. Photo from Munster Rugby Youtube Channel via Canva.com.

Ben Healy has been named to start for Munster’s URC season opener.

The Nenagh native starts at out-half for Graham Rowntree’s first game as head coach as Munster are in Wales to play Cardiff on Saturday.

World Cup winner Malakai Fekitoa is named at centre, making his competitive Munster debut whilst Cashel’s Diarmuid Barron is among the replacements.

Another Tipp man involved for Munster is new defence coach Denis Leamy, he says patience will be needed as the new coaching ticket find their feet:

“It’s a tough challenge, it really is, in terms of going away from home and going to Wales.

“Cardiff play very fast, they play attractive rugby but look we’ve been together only a couple of weeks really and that’s the reality of it.

“It’s obviously a big game on Saturday and it’s one we will go after very hard but we have to be realistic in that it will take a little bit of time for everyone to bed in and to gel and it’s something that we will go all gun’s blazing but in reality there is a big picture here as well.

“Whatever the result is on Saturday we move on and we get better and better.”

Kick-off in Cardiff is at 3.05pm on Saturday.

Munster XV: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Chris Farrell, Malakai Fekitoa, Liam Coombes; Ben Healy, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Keynan Knox; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (C), Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Sullivan.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Dave Kilcoyne, Roman Salanoa, Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Neil Cronin, Jack Crowley, Rory Scannell.