Munster v Ospreys: Teams
It will be an emotional evening for Magners League champions Munster when they take on the Ospreys on Friday night.
Last Updated: 15/05/09 11:05pm
It will be an emotional evening for champions Munster when they take on the Ospreys at Thomond Park on Friday night.
The club will be presented with the Magners League trophy after the game, while several players will make their last appearances for the side.
These include the long-serving Frank Sheahan and Anthony Horgan, who have won more than 300 competitive caps between them after making their debuts in 1996 and 1997 respectively.
Also bowing out will be scrum-half Mike Prendergast, prop Federico Pucciariello and centre/wing Kieran Lewis.
Ospreys news
Sonny Parker will make his 100th appearance for the Ospreys after being named at centre for the trip.
In a largely second-string selection, head coach Sean Holley has opted to leave out his British and Irish Lions stars having already booked themselves into next season's Heineken Cup competition alongside Cardiff Blues and the Scarlets.
Holley said: "We've rested our Lions for our final fixture, they've served us well this season and with the tour almost upon us, we want to make sure that they represent the Ospreys to the best of their ability this summer.
"Obviously we'll be going to Munster with regrets that we aren't going there chasing silverware as we'd hoped. They say that it's your away form that wins you leagues, and our away form has been pretty good.
Stumbled
"We've won at Connacht, Glasgow, Ulster and we've had two good derby wins, but unfortunately, we've stumbled at home since the turn of the year, losing at home to Munster and Leinster, and then the late defeat to Edinburgh recently.
"It's these defeats that have proved costly, a win in one of those games and we could have been going to Thomond Park with a chance of doing something this weekend. That's certainly something we have to aim to improve on next season, we have to turn Liberty Stadium into a fortress again.
"It's a big day for Sonny Parker who is making his 100th competitive Ospreys appearance. Sonny is a true Osprey who has served the Ospreys well over the last few seasons so he will no doubt enjoy hitting this landmark."
Munster: 15 Paul Warwick, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Ian Dowling, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Federico Pucciariello, 7 Denis Fogarty, 6 Tony Buckley, 5 Mick O'Driscoll, 4 Paul O'Connell (capt), 3 Denis Leamy, 2 Niall Ronan, 1 David Wallace.
Replacements: 16 Frankie Sheahan, 17 Dave Ryan, 18 Donncha O'Callaghan, 19 John O'Sullivan, 20 Mike Prendergast, 21 Anthony Horgan, 22 Kieran Lewis.
Ospreys: 15 Gareth Owen, 14 Ashley Beck, 13 Sonny Parker, 12 Jonathan Spratt, 11 David Evans, 10 James Hook, 9 Jamie Nutbrown, 8 Filo Tiatia, 7 Marty Holah, 6 Ryan Jones (capt), 5 Andy Lloyd, 4 Ian Gough, 3 Cai Griffiths, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paul James.
Replacements:16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Duncan Jones, 18 Craig Mitchell, 19 Richard Kelly, 20 Steve Tandy, 21 Rhodri Wells, 22 Dan Biggar.