Eight Munster changes for Zebre

FORMER Saracens full-back Matt Gallagher said he can’t wait for crowds to be allowed back in at Thomond Park as he prepares for another night of rugby in an empty stadium.

The 24-year-old said he has settled in well in Limerick since his summer move from London and he returns to fullback for this evening’s clash with Zebre, having scored his only two tries for Munster from that position against Dragons.

“It is always a little bit different running out at the empty stadium. Obviously, you want the fans there all of the time, but at the moment we can’t.

“The boys on the sideline have been doing their best job to try and get some sort of atmosphere there but it is nothing compared to a packed Thomond Park. Hopefully in the near future we will be able to get some fans back in.”

Six wins from six make this the best start to the league for Munster, and Johann van Graan has made eight changes to the side which won in Glasgow on Monday night, with South African Chris Cloete recovering from a neck injury to make his second start of the season.

He comes into a back-row completed by Jack O’Donoghue and Gavin Coombes, fresh from his successive man-of-thematch awards.

Kerry native Jack Daly, a product of Castleisland RFC, is set to make his debut off the bench in the back-row, while Sean French, who came through Pres and Cork Con, is set to do likewise in the threequarters.

Munster v Zebre Live, eir Sport 1, 8.15

MUNSTER – M Gallagher; C Nash, D Goggin, D de Allende, D Sweetnam; JJ Hanrahan, N McCarthy; J Wycherley, R Marshall, S Archer; F Wycherley, B Holland; J O’Donoghue, C Cloete, G Coombes.

Reps: D Barron, L O’Connor, K Knox, T Ahern, J Daly, C Casey, B Healy, S French.