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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Munster team v Edinburgh: Andrew Conway and Craig Casey given chance to further Six Nations claims

Andrew Conway and Craig Casey will look to further their Six Nations hopes with big performances for Munster in tomorrow night's Guinness PRO14 clash with Edinburgh at Murrayfield (7.35pm).

Conway has been out since December but is one of four players who has returned from Ireland camp to get the nod to start in Scotland.

Casey, 21, was on the bench against France last weekend but didn't make his Test debut as Ireland chased the visitors' lead in vain, but gets the chance to further his scrum-half credentials with his province.

Also returning to the Reds line-up are Chris Farrell and Shane Daly, who also watched on from the wings over the past two weekends.

Munster's Andrew Conway with Billy Holland (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)

In all, Johann van Graan has made nine changes to the side that beat Benetton in the last Munster fixture, and Billy Holland will skipper the team on his 240th appearance for the province.

The veteran lock joins Ronan O’Gara on 240 Munster appearances and is now joint second on the all-time list behind record-holder Donncha O’Callaghan (268 appearances).

Chris Farrell (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)

Mike Haley is named at full-back with Conway and Daly on either flank. Damian de Allende is partnered by Farrell in the centres, with JJ Hanrahan in the half-backs with Casey.

James Cronin, Niall Scannell and John Ryan pack down in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Holland in the engine room.

Jack O’Donoghue, Chris Cloete and Gavin Coombes form the back row. Rory Scannell, who has made 138 appearances for the province, is in line to make his 100th PRO14 appearance off the bench.

As van Graan said during the week, the game has come too soon for Joey Carbery to make his long-awaited comeback.

“Look, he is doing really well," van Graan said. "He has increased his training load and had his sessions in the week, there is no timeline currently.

“As soon as Joey, I and the medical team are convinced that he is ready to play he’ll return to play. But there is no timeline currently.”

Munster: Haley, Conway, Farrell, de Allende, Daly, Hanrahan, Casey; Cronin, N Scannell, Ryan, Kleyn, Holland, O’Donoghue, Cloete, G Coombes.

Replacements: O’Byrne, Loughman, Archer, F Wycherley, O’Sullivan, McCarthy, Healy, R Scannell.

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