Munster Rugby 19 Castres Olympique 13

Munster, in their first home Heineken Champions Cup game of the season, achieved their second victory in less than a week as they claimed a 19-13 win over Castres Olympique.

This round 2 game was frustrating for the home side as Johann Van Graan’s side only scored one try on a cold night at Thomond Park in Limerick.

Munster, who beat Wasps 35-14 on the road last weekend at Coventry Building Society Arena, would have expected an easier success against what many viewed as a Castres second-string side.

Healy opened the scoring

Castres were penalised for not rolling away in the sixth minute giving Ben Healy the ideal opportunity to open the scoring. The Munster number 10 successfully kicked the penalty for an early Munster lead. In the 28th minute, Healy doubled the advantage when scoring his second penalty of the night.

Damian De Allende thought he had scored the hosts’ opening try of the game shortly after the half hour mark when the former Springbok crossed the line, with his side having a penalty advantage.

The officiating team, who spent a long period of time in discussion before finally coming to a decision, said the South African had failed to successfully touch down.

With less than a minute remaining in the opening half, Urdapilleta got his side on the score board when kicking a straightforward penalty from just outside the 22m line.

Half-time: Munster Rugby 9 Castres Olympique 3

Second half

It took the home side until the cusp of the hour mark before they finally scored a try. Jack O’Donoghue achieved his first European Cup try, and his 28th Munster career try, when the Waterford man touched down in in front of the East Stand.

The initial on-field decision was no try, but following consultation between the officials, English referee Matthew Carley awarded the five-pointer. Ben Healy added the extras with an excellent kick from the touchline to push his side into a 16-3 lead.

Urdapilleta doubled Castres’ score when successfully kicking his second penalty of the night from just outside the 22m line.

Munster headed into the final 15 minutes of the game with a 16-6 advantage as Johann Van Graan began to empty his bench. Healy kicked another penalty with 10 minutes remaining on the clock as he extended Munster’s lead to 19-6.

It was the visitors who had the final say in the game, however, as Kevin Kornath crossed for the French side’s try, before Urdapilleta converted, leaving Munster six point victors.

Final score: Munster Rugby 19 Castres Olympique 13

Munster Rugby:

15. Patrick Campbell, 14. Andrew Conway, 13. Chris Farrell, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Keith Earls, 10. Ben Healy, 9. Conor Murray.

1. Dave Kilcoyne, 2. Niall Scannell, 3. John Ryan, 4. Jean Kleyn, 5. Tadhg Beirne, 6. Peter O’Mahony (captain), 7. John Hodnett, 8. Jack O’Donoghue.

Munster Replacements:

16. Diarmuid Barron, 17. Josh Wycherley, 18. Keynan Knox, 19. Jason Jenkins, 20. Jack O’Sullivan, 21. Craig Casey, 22. Jack Crowley, 23. Alex Kendellen.

Castres Olympique:

15. Larregain, 14. Guillemin, 13. Combezou, 12. Aguillon, 11. Nakosi, 10. Urdapilleta, 9. Arata.

1. De Benedittis,2. Ngauamo, 3. Hounkpatin, 4. Jacquet, 5. Hannoyer, 6. de Crespigny, 7. Meka, 8. Kornath.

Castres Olympique Replacements:

16. Humbert, 17. Nostadt, 18. Guillamon, 19. Whetton, 20.Li Williams, 21. Kockott, 22. Le Brun, 23. Zeghdar.

Munster Rugby Confirm Johann van Graan Departure At End Of Season

Munster Rugby Head Coach Johann van Graan has made the decision to depart the province at the end of the current season, on completion of his current contract.

Joining the province in November 2017, van Graan was offered a two-year contract extension and after much consideration has made the decision to not progress with the deal and will complete his time with the province at the end of June 2022.

Head Coach Johann van Graan said, “While I was at advanced stages in the contract process earlier this year, I took a step back and reconsidered my options, prioritising what’s best for my family, myself, and Munster Rugby. It might be time for Munster fans to use powerplay.com to back the who will be the next coach in Thomond Park

“My family and I settled well into life here, this is our home, and in an ideal world we would love to continue living in Limerick, but I’ve been looking at the bigger picture.

“After arriving during the 2017/18 season, I am now into my fifth season with this group and in putting Munster first I believe it’s the right decision for me to call time on my contribution and step away at the end of this season.

“While we have achieved so much together, and still have over six months of the season remaining, I wanted any uncertainty about my future addressed as early as possible.

“Working with this coaching team, staff, and players we are always striving to do our best for Munster Rugby, and nothing will change on that front.

“It has been an incredible journey and I’m hugely proud of this group for everything we have done to-date knowing there is so much more to come as we move towards the business end of the season.”

Munster Rugby CEO Ian Flanagan added, “We will be disappointed to see Johann go at the end of the season, he will be widely missed after forming such close relationships across the organisation.

“Johann has been a valued addition to the province and integral to all the successes we have achieved over the past four years.

“His hands-on approach and tireless work ethic have ensured the structures are well in place for continued success and we know he will continue to deliver on all fronts for the remainder of the season.

“For now, we are working closely with the IRFU in looking to identify suitable replacements with the confirmed departures of both Johann and Steve (Stephen Larkham) next summer.”

During his time van Graan has provided much needed stability across the High Performance Centre further aligning the senior and academy structures with more visibility for the next generation of players.

Players such as Shane Daly, Gavin Coombes, Fineen Wycherley, Craig Casey, Thomas Ahern, and Ben Healy to name a few have all progressed in their careers during his tenure.

The former Springbok coach was the catalyst for securing the services of the World Cup winning duo of RG Snyman and Damian de Allende while he also oversaw the recruitment of key signings such as Joey Carbery, Alby Mathewson, Mike Haley, and Simon Zebo.

The second longest-serving Munster coach of the professional era, Johann has guided the province to consistent successful performances across Europe and the domestic league. Since joining in 2017 Munster have reached two Champions Cup semi-finals, three league semi-finals, and a PRO14 final earlier this year.

Top 5 sports Irish people love

Like many countries around the world, sport is a common pastime in Ireland. With some homegrown games and other international sports, these are the top five sports Irish people love.

Sports play a huge part in all areas of life in Ireland. From school games to professional level, personal hobbies to spectator events, sport is one of the most common pastimes across the island.

According to statistics, over half the population of Ireland takes part in sports at least once a week. So, there is no denying that it has a huge influence on life in the country.

With Olympic medalists representing the country and bringing home gold to world-class footballers competing in events such as the World Cup, Ireland’s sporting prowess is one to be admired.

So, if you’re a sporting fanatic planning a visit to the Emerald Isle, these are the top five sports Irish people love.

Boxing – various global successes

Boxing has been a popular sport in Ireland for over 100 years. However, the sport has grown hugely in popularity across Ireland in recent years, with talented Irish boxers making a big mark on the global stage.

The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) is the national governing body for amateur boxing, which was founded in 1911.

Some of the biggest names in Irish boxing are Steve Collins from Dublin, Barry McGuigan from County Monaghan, and Carl Frampton from Belfast.

Recently, Irish boxers such as Kellie Harrington, Kurt Walker, and Katie Taylor have proved hugely successful on the world stage. So, boxing is certainly one of the sports Irish people love.

Rugby – over 95,000 rugby players in Ireland

Ireland ranks among one of the best in the world in rugby, with the national team proving hugely successful in global sporting events.

In recent years, Ireland has won two Six Nations titles, one in 2014 and one in 2015, and a Grand Slam in 2018. Going from strength to strength, Ireland’s talent for the sport has proven incredibly impressive.

Rugby is a popular sport in Ireland, from school right through to professional level, with big games proving hugely important events in the Irish sporting calendar for many.

On a more local level, rugby in Ireland is split into the four provinces, with teams competing for Ulster, Munster, Leinster, and Connacht. Overall, there is said to be over 95,000 rugby players across the whole island.

Ireland has also produced some of the most talented rugby players of all time, with names such as Brian O’Driscoll, Jonny Sexton, and Paul O’Connell being huge names in the game.

Golf – four world-class golf courses

Thanks to its abundance of world-class golf courses, it is no surprise that golf is one of the sports that Irish people love.

Brilliant courses across the country, such as the Royal Portrush, The K Club, and Portmarnock, have played host to international sporting events, such as The Open.

Plus, with luxury resorts offering fantastic golf courses, there are plenty of places around the island you can go for an unforgettable golf break.

The Emerald Isle has also produced some of the biggest names in golf in recent years. Golfers such as Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell, and Padraig Harrington have firmly cemented Ireland’s status as a talented golfing nation.

While the Irish weather is not always best suited for the sport, the months between May and September tend to be mildest. Thus, the sport proves most popular in Ireland throughout the summer.

Football – one of the most popular sports in the world

With over three billion followers worldwide, the game of football, or soccer, is perhaps the most popular and most followed sport in the world. The Emerald Isle is no exception to this rule.

Ireland plays host to two domestic football leagues, which are the League of Ireland and the Irish League. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) acts as the official governing body of the sport across Ireland.

Contrasting with rugby, both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland compete as separate national teams in football at world sporting events.

Some of the most notable players to emerge from Ireland include Roy Keane, George Best, and Robbie Keane.

GAA – Ireland’s very own sporting association

The Gaelic Games tops our list of sports Irish people love. Gaelic football, hurling, handball, and camogie all come under the umbrella of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), which is Ireland’s very own homegrown sporting association.

Gaelic Games prove popular in Ireland from school level right through to professional, and major sporting events prove to be some of the most important dates in the Irish calendar.

Gaelic football proves popular in Irish towns, as local areas compete against one another. The pinnacle of the Irish sporting calendar is the All Ireland Football Final, which sees counties compete for the coveted prize each year.

Can Mendy, Christensen, Mount, And Lukaku Be The Spine Of The New Chelsea?

It’s safe to say that Premier League is very popular in Ireland. This is pretty clear when you look at some of the local bookies like https://www.mrgreen.com/ie/, for example, and realize that this league is one of the main competitions. The reason why Premier League is so popular in this country is the number of Irish players who have written the history of this league in the past.

Today, however, we’re not going to talk about Irish players. Today, we are going to talk about the new spine of Chelsea Football Club. Back in the day, the spine consisted of Petr Chech, John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Didier Drogba. Today, we can see similar players who might be able to be the spine for the new Chelsea. Let’s see whether or not Edouard Mendy, Andres Christensen, Mason Mount, and Romelu Lukaku have what it takes for this.

Edouard Mendy

After a few adventures with goalkeepers, Chelsea finally has Mr. Reliable at the goal. His name is, of course, Edouard Mendy and he’s proving to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world today. This season, Mendy started all 11 games for Chelsea in the Premier League and managed to keep 7 clean sheets. If someone deserves to be compared to Petr Chech, it’s this fella.

Andreas Christensen

You might be asking yourselves – why didn’t we put Rudiger on this list? Well, Rudiger’s future in the club is not certain, even though he is one of the most important players for the team. Andreas Christensen, however, will likely stay one of the pillars of Chelsea’s defense in years to come. This season, Christensen has played 8 games in the Premier League and kept 5 clean sheets. However, his playing style and the ability to position himself perfectly remind us of the one and only John Terry.

Mason Mount

Chelsea’s golden boy. Mason Mount is the product of the Chelsea academy and it represents everything good about Chelsea’s school. Frank Lampard believed in him and it proved to be the right thing to do. This season, Mason played 9 matches, scored 3 goals, and had 2 assists. However, his performance on the pitch is much more than what you can see in the stats. His vision resembles the one Frank Lampard had when he played for the club.

Romelu Lukaku

Chelsea finally managed to lock down a true striker this past summer. Lukaku played his career best last season for Inter Milan and he decided to come home and prove that he can be the new Didier Drogba. He started the season in a wonderful way, by scoring one against Arsenal and two against Aston Villa, but then came the dry spell and the injury. However, he can definitely be the striker Chelsea needs to win the Premier League.

What were once Chech, Terry, Lampard, and Drogba are now Mendy, Christensen, Mount, and Lukaku. Can they win the league like their predecessors? Based on the 11 games this season, they just might.

Farrell Faces Tough Decision Regarding Ageless Sexton

Johnny Sexton continues to display his incredible skills at the highest level for Ireland after leading his team to a dominant victory over Japan in his 100th cap. The 36-year-old marked the occasion with a try, the 16th of his international career, along with a penalty and four conversions.

Despite his advancing years, Sexton remains the heartbeat and the foundation of the Ireland team. His importance to the side cannot be understated, even with the talented Joey Carbery waiting in the wings. Injuries have started to diminish elements of his skills, but he has improved the mental aspects of his game and his leadership on the field is second to none in the squad.

However, Ireland must have an honest conversation about whether Sexton will remain the same player in two years for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, where Andy Farrell’s men are backed at 4/1 in the rugby betting odds with Sexton in the line-up. The consensus is that Ireland are the third-best side in the Northern Hemisphere, which tends to agree with the current world rankings, although the order currently places France behind the Shamrocks.

Sexton is providing a valuable impact in the short term and will help his side compete with Les Bleus and England in the Six Nations. The fly-half was instrumental in Ireland’s comfortable 32-18 victory over England on home soil last season that was not as close as the scoreline suggested. Beyond the tournament, Farrell will have to consider whether he should turn the team over at fly-half in favour of Carbery or hand rising star Harry Byrne valuable minutes on the field. It has worked in other positions, although the coach may be concerned about wholesale changes in the ranks.

Ireland are in a strange position in terms of a transition between teams. Sexton and Conor Murray are still worthy of their places in the side, which is fantastic for Farrell to have at his disposal, but in the long term, the next generation does not appear to be hammering at the door to oust them from their roles in the backfield. After the 2019 World Cup and the departure of Joe Schmidt, Rory Best retired from the game and handed the captaincy to Sexton. The transition in the front row was a smooth one as Ronan Kelleher replaced Best at hooker and has taken to international rugby like a duck to water, excelling in the early stages of his career.

Kelleher is a prime example of a player that was ready for the rigours of playing for Ireland and stepping into the shoes of a legend. Carbery has shown glimpses of his talent in his relief of Sexton when the veteran has been sidelined due to injury, but has not delivered enough in his brief starts to prove that he can step into his shoes. Sexton will be 38 by the time of the next World Cup and Carbey will be 27. One of those players should be at the peak of their powers. However, modern-day sport has proven that players can continue to excel into their late thirties and beyond. Farrell has to judge the decision to perfection to ensure that his team are competitive in 2023.

One Step Further from the Premier League: Irish Best Young Talents

Ireland is one hell of a country, and the Paddies are one of their proudest symbols. When we think of Irish players, our mind tends to flow immediately to Robbie Keane, the famed Irishman who terrorized Premier League’s defenses for years and years, scoring more than 50 goals for his national squad as well. Unfortunately, that’s just about it (with the exception of keen observers of the sport or, of course, Irish nationals).

We should get to know the tone and specificities of each league in order to better understand football, and the Overlyzer Live Betting tool appears as one of the best ways to analyze, in a match-day, several games at once, and thus start coming to a sense about what teams are more exciting to watch play, and who to put our eyes on.

For those of us who are look carefully, there are more than a couple of young paddies that are set to take Ireland by storm, and perhaps even make a sensible impact in the Premier League. This is the result of an irish effort to reform their football, and it seems to have worked wonders. Talking about wonders, let’s look at the talent that is just now blossoming and may mean glory to the Irish, and appetizing bids for their teams.

Irish Top Young Talents:

Troy Parrott

Troy needs not to show off to go to England, for he is already there. From Spurs, he has been on loan, first at Milwall and then at Ipswich, which is not surprising, considering his age: he is only nineteen years old. As a center-forward, he not only has mobility, but a keen eye for the net, that appears to be natural for him. Not nearly as known as the next entry, Nathan Collins, we may seem him at Spurs, in their first team, soon enough. If not, in a Premier League club. Be that as it may, he seems destined to succeed.

Nathan Collins

This young center-back is already playing cards in the Premier League, wearing Burnley’s shirt. The best evaluated young irish player by transfermarkt, Nathan not only shows that he is a sturdy paddy, but that he can initiate plays as well, and even pose some troubles with his vicious headings. Seems like he won’t be leaving the Premier League any time soon.

Andrew Omobamidele

Continuing with a defensive talent, it’s time for Andrew. Omobamidele is a bit of a tongue twister, but the bet is that we will be saying his name so many teams, we will get used to it. At least, it seems that his talent is demanding us to get used to him. After a successful stint at Norwich last season, where he took the opportunity handed to him by the unfortunate injuries of his teammates, he is now regarded as an high-IQ center-back, versed on anticipation and a reading of the game that is unnatural for a player his age, he relies also on a technical prowess above-average to be a part of both phases of the game. Along with Nathan, Ireland has a central backbone for years and years to come.

Jason Knight

Last but not least is Jason Knight, another shiny youngster that is already in England and has no plans of leaving soon. He, incredibly, already is one of Derby’s captains, by orders of Rooney, who relies on this young midfielder as though he is a veteran. With a James Milner’s type of attitude to it, of complete and imposing attitude towards the entire game, Jason Knight is prone to be the captain of Ireland soon enough. Naturally a box-to-box, he can also play as a ten or as a right-midfielder, as this polyvalence shows not only technical capability, but also sacrifice for the team.

A New Super Generation?

Time will be the judge of all this players’, and others’, careers. One thing is certain, though: there is plenty to go around and it would be a shame to see all this talent go to waste.

What We’ve Learnt Since Manchester United Defeated Arsenal 3-2

The 4-1 embarrassment at the hands of Watford left Manchester United suites no choice but to relive Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of his duties. Evidently, this decision was the correct move to make as we’re now looking at five positive results for the Red Devils since the Norwegian manager’s departure.

A 2-0 success over Villareal during United’s matchday 5 Champions League outing offered a bitter-sweet moment, especially when reminiscing on the losing battle against the Spanish side in last year’s Europa League final. This result was quickly followed by a well deserved 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, many expected United to crumble in front of Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea squad, but the tactical deliverance of Michael Carrick remained strong.

The former United player turned coach was successful during his caretaker manager position, and he left the Red Devils in a positive mental state upon the arrival of Rangnick. But his most triumphant moment during his small tenure was the 3-2 beating of Arsenal on home turf.

Respect & Thanks To Michael Carrick

As Solsjkaer cleared his office desk and made his way towards the Old Trafford exit, Michael Carrick was positioned to steady the ship whilst the United board talked business with Ralf Rangnick.

Carrick was instantly faced with three extremely challenging fixtures versus Chelsea, Villareal, and Arsenal, in where he collected 4 points and a Champions League final-16 qualification spot.

The Arsenal fixture began with an unfortunate 1-0 deficit for United when Emile Smith-Rowe gave his team the lead with nothing but an empty net to defeat.

The 14th-minute goal was created from a freak accident where Fred stood on David de Gea’s foot, and the Spanish goalkeeper dropped down in pain.

The referee failed to blow his whistle before Smith-Rowe capitalised and netted the ball, and the goal was unquestionable because the injury surfaced from de Gea’s teammate.

However, the early dramatics were soon turned around when Bruno Fernandes equalised just before the halftime whistle, and soon after the second half began, it was star man Ronaldo who slotted home his 800th career goal.

A cutback inside the box to Martin Odegaard saw the Gunners go level. Still, the goalscorer challenged Fred inside the penalty area, which resulted in a VAR check and a United penalty that wasn’t going to be missed by CR7.

The defining moment when Solskjaer’s exit became apparently positive was when United defeated their London rivals Arsenal. But more importantly, what did we learn from this result?

Why Hello Mr Rangnick

The Rangnick era began last Sunday when United defeated Crystal Palace 1-0, a surprising clean sheet result that the Red Devils have struggled to produce this term. However, Rangnick’s first physical appearance at Old Trafford was when the 63-year-old sat alongside John Murtough, United’s football director, for the Arsenal fixture.

The German coach will undoubtedly be aware of the challenging task he’s faced with turning this Manchester United squad towards his renowned style. Still, it seemed like his presence in the stands alone was enough to push his players to victory.

Number 801 for CR7

Taking a punt on Ronaldo to score has almost become a given since his return to the red side of Manchester. Bookmakers will often be found reducing the price on Ronaldo to score because of his prolific success in front of goal.

When sports bettors scroll through the anytime goalscorer market for their weekly sports picks, placing Ronaldo on the betting slip has been a money-making opportunity, even throughout the unreliable streak of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

And during the Arsenal fixture, with his new manager in the crowd, Ronaldo proved that he’s still a significant asset for Rangnick’s squad selection moving forward.

Ronaldo’s first goal of the evening became the Portuguese superstar’s 800th goal. When the penalty was given, there was no other choice after Fernandes skyrocketed his previous penalty attempt against Aston Villa. CR7 stepped up, and it was 801 goals with a 3-point takeaway for United’s most prominent goal scorer.

Bruno is Back

Finally, after 16 appearances without a goal, a sigh of relief for Bruno Fernandes came when the number 18 levelled the score before halftime.

The timing couldn’t have been better, as the Portuguese international displayed his creative flair on his 100th appearance for Manchester United.

Again, with Rangnick in attendance, Fernandes looked refreshed and delivered a stellar performance he’s best known for.

5 Secrets about Making Money with Online Sports Betting & Online Casino

Do you enjoy gambling but don’t have the time or money to go to a casino? Or maybe you’ve been to a casino and just didn’t have a good time. Either way, did you know that you can gamble online? There are many different online casinos where you can play all sorts of games, from slots to blackjack, reviewed by the best review and strategy sites like 6Takarakuji. And best of all, you can do it from the comfort of your own home! So whether you’re looking for a new hobby or just want to try your luck, online casinos are a great option.

Apart from online casino games, it’s time to speak about sports betting, which is growing more popular on the internet and allows best pragmatic play casinos online.

Making sports bets on the internet is something that the majority of us are interested in. The delicious reality is that you can make money with them if you carefully follow certain fundamental guidelines since the outcomes are mostly reliant on chance. But, like many successful online casino gamblers, there are many more factors that you can influence by following established guidelines.

We’ve put together a list of 5 strategies and suggestions to assist you to make the best judgments possible when it comes to sports betting. They’re listed below:

Create a budget in the same way as online casino players do

Before you decide which website to bet on or which athletic event to watch, consider how much money you want to put into it. Decide how much money you’re willing to part with. If you’re new to online betting, start with a small budget and gradually expand it as you gain expertise. Of course, the larger the wager, the more you will win; nevertheless, begin by stepping over sure, and you will be inspired.

Make use of a betting comparator

Comparators of bets are a good resource for placing bets on football and cricket, as well as basketball, cycling, and motor racing. For each game or sporting event, these services compare the odds of the leading online bookies and casinos. This allows you to examine the changes you may win from betting on each at a glance and pick the betting site that provides you with the best odds. They also provide thorough information on the numerous online bookies available.

Pick a sport and become an expert in it

We do not propose that you try your luck with boxing first, then cycling, and last soccer or cricket betting. Choose a topic and devote yourself to it by watching trends and reading about it in specialist publications and blogs, since the more information you have on the subject, the better your odds of winning your online bets will be.

If, for example, football is your favorite sport and you decide to concentrate on it, the largest bets you’ll have to value are those for the Euro or World championship. As a result, we propose that you use the following betting comparison to check the odds of different bookmakers for each favorite.

When a team is playing at home, betting on a losing team is a bad idea

When teams play at home, they are more motivated. That suggests they have a better chance of winning than someone else’s.

“Their boldness when they play at home makes them frightening,” Diego Simeone stated. As a result, teams that play at home frequently win their games. Take advantage of people’s proclivity to wager on “losers” while they’re playing on their turf.

Stay away from live betting

It is much simpler to behave sanely when one has a bright intellect. Because you’re watching the Euro championship final match with your pals, don’t be carried away by the emotions of the moment.

Finally, some individuals believe that the key to success is to wager on the most bizarre sports conceivable, in unfathomable contests, and with clubs or players, we’ve never heard of. They also believe it is simpler to get excellent outcomes since the quotas should not be thoroughly investigated because no one knows about them.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. The betting houses have a degree of security of the bet and the outcomes in all sports and online casino games. So it’s preferable to gamble on what we know and can get additional knowledge and data from to assist us to make the best judgment possible.

Wasps v Munster – Preview, Teams, Odds, Where To Watch

A depleted Munster side will begin their European journey in Coventry when they walk into the Wasps nest on Sunday.

Johann Van Graan’s team looks vastly different to what would have been expected of them before they got stuck in South Africa.

On top of this, it will be Munster’s first 80 minutes of competitive rugby since their defeat to Ospreys on October 23.

The Stags will face the Wasps, who have played four games since October ended but are yet to find a win.

Lee Blackett’s side only have three wins to their name after nine games but are seen as a bigger obstacle to overcome due to Munster’s situation.

Wasps reached the Gallagher Premiership final just two seasons ago, losing by only three points to Exeter Chiefs, who won a league and European double that year.

However, they have failed to reach the heights that they did in the time since then and their measly 23 carries per line break average this season does not exactly scream attacking intent.

Their defence has not been impressive either – in 2019-20, they conceded an average of 22.59 points per game in the regular season in the Premiership but this year, the number sits at 26.55 after just nine games, showing a decrease in performance.

However, 18 players are listed as unavailable for Wasps through injury this weekend, and one can expect them to improve when that number goes down but it appears this Munster side may play Wasps at a perfect time.

Munster, on the other hand, can be analysed for days but their team for Sunday’s 3:15 pm match is an unknown entity.

Five players have been handed their Munster debuts, including Ireland U20 number eight Daniel Okeke.

The team is a mix of youth, experience and players yet to get solid game time under their belts.

Teams

Wasps

15 Marcus Watson (59)

14 Zach Kibirige (56)

13 Michael Le Bourgeois (65)

12 Jimmy Gopperth (136)

11 Josh Bassett (158)

10 Jacob Umaga (58)

9 Sam Wolstenholme (22)

1 Tom West (57)

2 Dan Frost (5)

3 Biyi Alo (22)

4 Sebastian de Chaves (5)

5 Elliott Stooke (9)

6 Alfie Barbeary (16)

7 Brad Shields (61) (c)

8 Tom Willis (49)

Replacements

16 Gabriel Oghre (53)

17 Robin Hislop (9)

18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (53)

19 Tim Cardall (37)

20 Nizaam Carr (63)

21 Thomas Young (147)

22 Will Porter (37)

23 Francois Hougaard (4)

Munster

(15-9, 1-8) Patrick Campbell; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Keith Earls; Joey Carbery, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Scott Buckley, James French; Eoin O’Connor, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (C), John Hodnett, Daniel Okeke.

Replacements: Declan Moore, Mark Donnelly, Roman Salanoa, John Forde, Conor Moloney, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Jonathan Wren.

Odds

Wasps 1/5

Draw 25/1

Munster 7/2

Where To Watch

The match will be available to watch on BT Sport 2 and beIN Sports with coverage starting at 3 pm.

Clermont Auvergne v Ulster – Preview, Teams, Odds, Where To Watch

Ulster kick-off their latest European adventure with a trip to Clermont to face a Top 14 side under the tutelage of former boss Jono Gibbes.

The New Zealander previously managed Ulster for a season in 2017-18 – the last year in which Ulster missed the Pro14 playoffs.

He returned to New Zealand to coach Waikato instead of seeing out his contract after an underwhelming season.

Gibbes took the Clermont job after spending time with Ronan O’Gara at La Rochelle, leading them to the Champions Cup final last season.

However, his start to life in France has been a mixed bag with impressive wins and poor losses galore.

Dan McFarland’s Ulster have been a far more consistent outfit as a whole but their form in recent weeks has failed to back that up.

The provincial outfit will be hoping to bounce back from defeat to Ospreys with a victory over the three-time Challenge Cup champions.

Their strength as a team grows every year and they are expected to get better with the arrival of new signing Duane Vermuelen.

The World Cup-winning Springbok will make his debut for the Ulstermen this weekend after recovering from Covid-19 following the end of his international duty for the year.

Former Munster fly-half JJ Hanrahan will wear the number 10 shirt for the French outfit hosting the Irish province.

The likes Peceli Yato and Damian Penaud also appear in the starting XV but four players miss out due to Covid – one confirmed case, one close contact and two unvaccinated players.

Teams

Clermont Auvergne

Ulster

(15-9) Mike Lowry, Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, John Cooney;

(1-8) Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor (Capt.), Kieran Treadwell, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen;

Replacements: John Andrew, Jack McGrath, Ross Kane, Sam Carter, Greg Jones, Sean Reidy, Nathan Doak, Stewart Moore.

Odds

Clermont Auvergne 4/9

Draw 17/1

Ulster 9/5

Where To Watch

The game kicks off at 5:300 pm and will be shown live on BT Sport 3 – coverage starts at 5:15 pm.

Healy opened the scoring

Second half

Munster Replacements:

Castres Olympique:

Castres Olympique Replacements:

Edouard Mendy

Andreas Christensen

Mason Mount

Romelu Lukaku

Create a budget in the same way as online casino players do

Make use of a betting comparator

Pick a sport and become an expert in it

When a team is playing at home, betting on a losing team is a bad idea

Stay away from live betting

Teams

Odds

Where To Watch

Teams

Odds

Where To Watch

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