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Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Guinness PRO14 match between Munster and Southern Kings at Independent Park.
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Munster boss Johann van Graan hands a debut to first-year academy member John Hodnett.
The back row, a product of Clonakilty RFC, was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland under-20s last season and has featured regularly for UCC this year.
Billy Holland captains the side on his 226th Munster appearance. Mike Haley, Calvin Nash and Shane Daly make up the back three.
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Dan Goggin and Chris Farrell are named as the centre partnership with Neil Cronin and JJ Hanrahan in the half-backs.
It’s an all-international front row with James Cronin, Niall Scannell and John Ryan named in the starting XV. Fineen Wycherley and Holland start in the second row with Jack O’Donoghue, Hodnett and Arno Botha completing the side. Astle leads Kings against Munster.
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? Here is your Munster team to face Southern Kings at Irish Independent Park tomorrow night!
Match tickets still available here > > https://t.co/m59hbsCjNm#MUNvKIN #SUAF ? pic.twitter.com/6tcoGk4qQM
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) February 13, 2020
Edmund Ludick will make his Southern Kings as a starter in Cork while Luyolo Dapula will also make his first appearance off the bench.
The versatile 21-year-old Ludick replaces the injured Yaw Penxe on the wing, with Dapula, also 21, providing loose forward cover from the bench.
? TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT ?
Eddie Ludick & Luyolo Dapula set to make their debuts as Ruaan Lerm reaches 50-match milestone.
JC Astle resumes his duties as captain ahead of Munster clash.
The match will be televised on SuperSport 1. #MUNvKIN #KingsOnTour #Uyeza pic.twitter.com/9R2cCpCFFL— Southern Kings (@SouthernKingsSA) February 13, 2020
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It will also be a special occasion for one of the Kings’ longest-serving players, Ruaan Lerm, who will run on for the 50th time in the club’s colours.
JC Astle, who resumes as captain this week, congratulated the trio on their imminent milestones. “We obviously have a very special night with Ruan earning his 50th cap for the franchise, and also Eddie and Dapula making their debuts,” he said.
“We were greeted by a bit of snow when we arrived in Cork on Tuesday, but it didn’t last long.. The boys are very excited for Friday night – our energies are high. We’ll be heading in with a lot of confidence.”
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