Ahern ready to lay down a marker for summer spot

SEVERAL Munster players will be looking to hold their hands up for the summer tour to South Africa when they take on the Ospreys in Swansea tonight and chief among them will be Tom Ahern. The Waterford man has long been flagged as huge talent but his career progression has been compromised by injury issues and the failure of previous coach Johann van Grann to trust in his young talent. His successor Graham Rowntree has no such hesitation and is a big fan of Ahern’s with the two enjoying a mutually beneficial relationship. Ahern’s profile has rocketed on the back of a string of outstanding performances and he has been a big factor in Munster’s run of six wins and one draw from 11 URC outings. Size will be key to any chance of downing the world champions this summer and with Iain Henderson’s time with Ireland appearing to be up, there is a definite slot for Ahern. Starting alongside one of those world champions, RG Snyman, helps his case and it is a powerful side named by Rowntree against a side that has also amassed six wins from 11. The visitors should have enough for the win with Ahern to the fore. OSPREYS: I Hopkins; A Cuthbert, E Boshoff, K Williams, K Giles; O Williams, R Morgan-Williams; N Smith, S Parry, T Botha; J Ratti, R Davies; J Rudolph, J Tipuric (capt), M Morris. Reps: L Lloyd, G Phillips, R Henry, H Sutton, H Deaves, C Jones, J Walsh, O Watkin. MUNSTER: M Haley; S O’Brien, A Frisch, R Scannell, S Daly; J Carbery, C Casey; J Wycherley, N Scannell, J Ryan; T Ahern, RG Snyman; J Hodnett, A Kendellen (capt), G Coombes. Reps: E Clarke, J Loughman, S Archer, J O’Donoghue, R Quinn, E Coughlan, T Butler, S McCarthy. TV: Ospreys v Munster, Kick-off 7.35pm, Swansea, LIVE on TG4