JJ Hanrahan in action against London Irish last season. Inpho

Munster host Premiership side London Irish at Irish Independent Park tonight at 7.30pm in the season opener with an extended squad named by Head Coach Johann van Graan yesterday.

Munster host Premiership side London Irish at Irish Independent Park tonight at 7.30pm in the season opener with an extended squad named by Head Coach Johann van Graan yesterday.

See Munster team details here.

Download the teamsheets for both sides here.

Tickets for the game are still available and can be purchased online here with a family pack of four tickets (2 adults and 2 juniors) just €30. Tickets will also be available at the gate.

The Munster squad started their pre-season training programme 11 weeks ago and are raring to go ahead of the first game of the season.

Read ticket and matchday info here.

See this week’s best training pics here.

For injury news, read the latest squad update here.

The clash will see new Senior Coach Stephen Larkham experience his first Munster matchday as the province face London Irish for the ninth time in 12 seasons.

The sides will be competing for the Jack Wakefield Memorial Trophy, which is contested every time that London Irish play an Irish province in a friendly match. The trophy is named in honour of a young London Irish supporter who passed away in 2005.

The clash will see the Munster senior men’s side wear the new adidas home kit, available exclusively at Life Style Sports here, for the first time.

The game will see former Munster Head Coach Declan Kidney, now Director of Rugby at London Irish, make a welcome return to the province.

Kidney led London Irish back into the Premiership at the first time of asking last season having taken the reins in March 2018.

It will be Kidney’s second time returning to Munster as the top man at London Irish with Munster securing a 32-28 victory in last year’s pre-season fixture.

Tries from Darren Sweetnam, Brian Scott, Dan Goggin and Mike Sherry (two) saw Munster emerge victorious in the first game played on the modified 3G surface at Irish Independent Park. See highlights below.

Munster’s second pre-season fixture ahead sees the province travel to Galway for a clash against Connacht at the Sportsground on Saturday, September 21 (3pm).

The Guinness PRO14 campaign kicks off against Dragons at Thomond Park on Saturday, September 28 (3pm).

Tickets

Buy tickets online here, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices in Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, or by calling 061 421103.

Adult: €15

Junior/Student: €5

Family Ticket (2 adults and 2 children): €30

Pre-Season Fixtures

Friday, September 13

Munster v London Irish, Irish Independent Park, 7.30pm;

Saturday, September 21

Connacht v Munster, Sportsground, 3pm;

Saturday, September 28

GUINNESS PRO14: Munster v Dragons, Thomond Park, 3pm; Buy tickets here

Video | Press Pass

Hear from Craig Casey, Fineen Wycherley and Defence Coach JP Ferreira ahead of tonight’s game.

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Highlights | Munster 32-28 London Irish, August 2018