United Rugby Championship: Munster pick Conor Murray for final against Stormers

Conor Murray is about to make a tackle on Stormers player Paul de Wet in last month's game in Cape TownImage source, Inpho
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Conor Murray helped Munster beat Stormers in Cape Town last month

United Rugby Championship final: Stormers v Munster

Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town Date: Saturday, 27 May Kick-off: 17:30 BST

Coverage: Live text commentary and match report on the BBC Sport website and app

Munster have recalled Conor Murray for Saturday's United Rugby Championship Grand Final against holders Stormers in Cape Town.

The veteran scrum-half's inclusion is one of three Munster changes from the semi-final victory over Leinster.

Fit-again Murray replaces Craig Casey with Calvin Nash and Malakai Fekitoa also drafted into the backs as Keith Earls and Ben Healy drop to the bench.

Fekitoa's inclusion sees Jack Crowley switch to fly-half in place of Healy.

Murray, Nash and Fekitoa were all unavailable for the dramatic semi-final victory over Leinster after sustaining head knocks in the last-eight win over Glasgow.

Munster's pack is unchanged from the semi-final as captain Peter O'Mahony and his fellow Ireland regular Tadhg Beirne are included.

Injury-plagued Springboks star RG Snyman is named in the Munster replacements.

Image source, Inpho
Image caption,

Marvin Orie is drafted into the Stormers team for Saturday's United Rugby Championship final against Munster in Cape Town

Stormers, who have home advantage for the decider, make two changes from their 43-25 semi-final win over Connacht as Marvin Orie and Deon Fourie are drafted into the pack after recovering from injury.

Orie replaces Ben-Jason Dixon in the second row with veteran South Africa flanker Fourie taking over from Willie Engelbrecht, who like Dixon is named on the bench.

The holders select an all-Springboks front row of Ulster-bound loose-head Steven Kitschoff, Joseph Dweba and Frans Malherbe.

An unchanged backline includes half-backs Herschel Jantjies and Manie Libbok, who scored 23 points last time out against Connacht.

Springboks wing Seabelo Senatla remains unavailable following his recent car crash but South Africa international Damian Willemse is named at full-back.

Munster were 26-24 winners when the sides met in Cape Town last month but the defending champions show five changes from the team which started that day with Fourie, Jantjies, Angelo Davids, Leolin Zas and Evan Roos all named in Saturday's line-up.

Stormers: Willemse; Davids, Nel, Du Plessis, Zas; Libbok, Jantjies; Kitshoff (capt), Dweba, Malherbe, Orie, Van Heerden; Fourie, Dayimani, Roos.

Replacements: Kotze, Vermaak, Fouche, Dixon, Engelbrecht, Theunissen, De Wet, Blommetjies.

Munster: Haley; Nash, Frisch, Fekitoa, Daly; Crowley, Murray; Loughman, Barron, Archer; Kleyn, Beirne; O'Mahony (capt), Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: N Scannell, J Wycherley, Salanoa, Snyman, Kendellen, Casey, Healy, Earls.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)

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