Kidney's best in the Final
Wed, 21 May 2008 13:31
Munster coach Declan Kidney was able to name a near full-strength squad for the Heineken Cup Final showdown with French giants Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.
Kidney named a 26-player squad from which the matchday 22 will be selected.
Munster were give a boost when the backline trio of Ronan O'Gara, Doug Howlett and Lifeimi Mafi came through a tough training run at the University of Limerick.
Anthony Foley, the province's captain for their victorious 2006 Heineken Cup campaign and Shaun Payne have also been included in the group.
However, watching from the sidelines at training were Barry Murphy and Niall Ronan, who were both sporting casts on their respective thumb injuries that they sustained in the game against Ulster last month.
Nor was there any sign of Federico Pucciariello, Mick O'Driscoll or Tomas O'Leary - who al missed the session with varying ailments, but were included in the squad and are expected to be in contention when Kidney sits down to decide what his matchday 22 will be.
The starting XV and replacements will only be named on Friday.
Munster squad:
Backs: Peter Stringer, Tomas O'Leary, Ronan O'Gara, Paul Warwick, Ian Dowling, Doug Howlett, Rua Tipoki, Kieran Lewis, Lifeimi Mafi, Keith Earls, Denis Hurley, Shaun Payne.
Forwards: Marcus Horan, Federico Pucciariello, John Hayes, Tony Buckley, Frank Sheahan, Jerry Flannery, Paul O'Connell (captain), Donncha O'Callaghan, Mick O'Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan, David Wallace, Alan Quinlan, Denis Leamy, Anthony Foley.
Date: Saturday, May 24
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 17.00 (16.00 GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Touch judges: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales), Hugh Watkins (Wales)
TMO:
Derek Bevan (Wales)
