URC

All the infomation on how to watch Munster v Benetton this weekend. Along with all the latest team news and what to expect from the encounter.

With many of Munster's starters like Casey and O'Mahony away on international camp in Portugal, Munster have named a much-changed team from last week's encounter with Toulouse with eight changes. Benetton have named 13 changes to their team from last week's Challenge Cup game with Stade Francais. Both teams will be competing for prime position in the standings as we begin the final third of the season and both teams are aiming to be in the last eight. Both teams will be eager for the win as the Sharks who lie in eight are just one and two points behind them with two games in hand. Niall Scannell will captain the side for just the second time in his career, while Joey Carberry and Ben Healy will both line out for their 50th Munster caps. With relatively similar form so far this season very little separates the two teams, however, Benetton have struggled in defence throughout the season, conceding 330 points to Munster's 198. This year's fixture is set up to be a much more competitive encounter. These two teams last met in the same competition in March last year where Munster ran out convincing winners after a 29 point thrashing. Munster sit just one place and one point behind Benetton in sixth and seventh respectively. Josh Wycherley, 2. They come into this fixture off the back of a spirited performance with plenty of positives against Toulouse away last weekend. However Munster, despite a rocky start to the season have now won four of their last five URC games, with that loss coming against 1st place Leinster by just a point.

On Friday's Rugby Daily, Cathal Mullaney looks ahead to tonight's URC meeting of Ulster and the DHL Stormers. There's also Connacht, Leinster and Munster ...

Munster are currently without internationals Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey, Gavin Coombes, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls, Dave Kilcoyne, Conor Murray and Peter O'Mahony ...

After this weekend, Munster have a break until Ospreys visit Thomond Park in the URC on February 17, with then just two fixtures against Scarlets (Musgrave Park) and Glasgow Warriors listed for across March. However, there are plenty of others also breathing down their necks, such as leading Welsh side Cardiff. Graham Rowntree’s team currently sit in seventh spot (the last qualifying place for the Champions Cup) on 32 points, just a single point adrift of tomorrow’s opponents.

Both Munster and Leinster have named their sides for their respective United Rugby Championship clashes this weekend.

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