36 O’BRIEN READY TO TAME LIONS

■■Lions v Munster, 4pm Derek FOLEY reports

SEáN O’Brien makes his first start at inside centre for Munster, the only change to the side that posted a brilliant win at Bulls last week, for the clash at Lions this afternoon.

It is the Westmeathborn player’s 16th appearance of the campaign having signed from Exeter Chiefs in 2023.

Head coach Graham Rowntree, noting Munster had played so well in South Africa around this time last year, said: “Coming away from home, you can always call upon those true memories, not just false belief, but true memories of what happened last year on the road.

“I think we do turn to that as a reference point, that actually happened.

“That gives us the belief to do what we did on the road last year.

“You can call upon that. We like it here. We have got fond memories.

“The weather is good, there are good restaurants, nice hotels, which is important.”

Rowntree is expecting a stern challenge from the Lions, who thumped league leaders Leinster 44-12 last weekend.

“It will take some doing,” he said. “This Lions team is highly underrated, are a hard team, can play rugby.”

LIONS: Jordan Hendrikse; Richard Kriel, Erich Cronje, Marius Louw (capt), Edwill van der Merwe; Sanele Nohamba, Morne van den Berg; Morgan Naude, Jaco Visagie, Ruan Dreyer, Willem Alberts, Ruan Delport, JC Pretorius, Emmanuel Tshituka, Francke Horn. Subs; PJ Botha, JP Smith, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Reinhard Nothnagel, Ruan Venter, Sibusiso Sangweni, Nico Steyn, Gianni Lombard

MUNSTER: Simon Zebo,

Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch,

Seán O’Brien, Shane Daly,

Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, RG Snyman, Tadhg Beirne (capt), Peter O’Mahony, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue. Subs; Eoghan Clarke, Josh Wycherley, Oli Jager, Tom Ahern, Gavin Coombes, Craig Casey, Joey Carbery, Mike Haley