Celtic League Preview
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MUNSTER v OSPREYS
Backrower James Bater will captain the Neath-Swansea Ospreys who travel to Musgrave Park for a top-of-the-table Celtic League clash against Munster on Saturday night (kick-off 8.05pm).
“James has show fine leadership qualities and has performed well over the last few games,” Ospreys coach Lyn Jones said.
“I feel he has the ability to stay calm in a storm and this quality will be well suited to Musgrave Park.”
Jones has named star back Gavin Henson at inside centre, retaining his faith in promising youngster Matthew Jones in the No 10 jersey.
Ireland international Ronan O’Gara will captain a Munster side with four changes from the team who beat Castres in the Heineken Cup last weekend.
League convert Paul Devlin replaces Anthony Horgan on the wing, and forwards John Hayes, Paul O’Connell and Anthony Foley all get a break. Gordon McIlwham comes into the frontrow, Tom Bowman partners Donncha O’Callaghan in the
secondrow with Jim Williams anchoring the scrum.
The Ospreys lead Munster by three points in the League.
Munster: C Cullen; S Payne, M Mullins, R Henderson, P Devlin; R O’Gara (capt), P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, G McIlwham, T Bowman, D O’Callaghan, A Quinlan, D Leamy, J Williams.
Replacements: F Roche, J Flannery, T Hogan, S Keogh, E Reddan, P Burke, J Storey.
Ospreys: A Durston; E Seveali’i; S Parker, G Henson, S Williams; M Jones, J Spice; P James, R Hibberd, A Jones, A Newman, J Thomas, J Bater (capt), S Tandy, R Jones.
Replacements: C Wells, A Millward, B Cockbain, C Griffiths/A Lloyd, R Pugh, R Rees, D Tiueti.
BLUES v LEINSTER
In the early game on Saturday, Leinster have made seven changes from last weekend’s Heineken Cup win over Bourgoin as they travel to Cardiff to play the Blues (kick-off 5.30pm).
Brian O’Driscoll, Denis Hickie and Shane Horgan have all been rested, with John McWeeney, Kieran Lewis, David Quinlan and Gary Brown coming into the backline. Puma star Felipe Contepomi switches to fly-half with David Holwell named on the bench.
Ricky Nebbett, Aidan McCullen and Ben Gissing replace Emmett Byrne, Leo Cullen and Victor Costello in the pack, and Eric Miller moves to No 8.
Centre Gordon D’Arcy is on the bench after being out for more than a month with a groin injury.
CardiffBlues: To be named.
Leinster: G Dempsey; J McWeeney, K Lewis, D Quinlan, G Brown; F Contepomi, G Easterby; R Corrigan, S Byrne, R Nebbett, M O’Kelly, B Gissing, A McCullen, S Jennings, E Miller.
Replacements (from): P Coyle, E Byrne, J Lyne, G Hickie, C Potts, V Costello, B O’Meara, D Holwell, G D’Arcy.
