Munster Vs Ulster: Team News Points To Limerick Edge
The munster vs ulster clash at Thomond Park is set for Saturday at 5. 30pm ET, with Munster naming their side for the URC Round 16 meeting. The home team make one change from last week’s win in Treviso, while fifth-placed Ulster arrive one point ahead in the table with three rounds left. The match carries added weight after Ulster’s 28-3 home win in January, a result Munster have not forgotten.
Munster make one change for Thomond Park
Oli Jager comes into the starting team for his first start since January after returning from injury last week, with Michael Ala’alatoa moving to the replacements. Calvin Nash is set for his 100th Munster appearance, and his two-year contract extension was announced earlier this week. Shane Daly, Nash and Andrew Smith start in the back three, while Alex Nankivell and Tom Farrell line up in midfield with Craig Casey and Jack Crowley at half-back.
Up front, Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron and Jager form the front row, with Jean Kleyn and captain Tadhg Beirne in the engine room. Tom Ahern, John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes complete the back row. On the bench, Munster have Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Michael Ala’alatoa, Edwin Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ben O’Donovan, Dan Kelly and Alex Kendellen ready to come on if needed.
Ulster arrive with major changes and a long injury list
The visitors have made 15 changes from the team that lost to Leinster in Belfast last weekend. Their side is heavily affected by injury, with a long list including Angus Bell, Scott Wilson, Tom O’Toole, James Hume, Jude Postlethwaite, Nick Timoney, James McNabney, Rob Herring, Robert Baloucoune, Rory McGuire and Stewart Moore all unavailable.
Three academy players will make their Ulster debuts, while Ben Moxham returns to start for the first time since November 2023 after two ACL ruptures. Michael Lowry captains the province for the first time, and Ethan McIlroy is named at outside centre in an unfamiliar role.
What the matchup means now
The table adds tension to the evening in Limerick, with Ulster one point clear of Munster and both sides still chasing position in the closing stretch of the URC. Munster’s selection shows continuity after the Treviso win, while Ulster’s reshaped squad reflects the strain of injuries and the need to protect players ahead of next Saturday’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Exeter in Belfast.
Clayton McMillan said the January loss in Belfast still matters inside the Munster camp, but the focus now is on producing a response at home. As he put it, Munster cannot afford another setback, and that makes munster vs ulster feel like more than just another league game in Thomond Park. With kick-off at 5. 30pm ET, the pressure is on both teams to deliver.
