Damian de Allende named in Munster's 33-player travelling squad

The Munster travelling party departed Ireland for South Africa on Sunday.

The Province will face the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday at 4.05pm (local, 2.05pm Irish time) before taking on the Lions the following Saturday (March 19) in Johannesburg at noon Irish time (2pm local).

Springbok centre Damian de Allende takes a positive step in his return from injury as he is named in the squad as he recovers from an abdomen injury.

Flanker Jack O’Donoghue will captain the 33-player travelling squad that includes six members of the Greencore Munster Rugby Academy.

Academy forwards Scott Buckley (hooker), Mark Donnelly (prop), Cian Hurley (lock), Eoin O’Connor (lock) and Alex Kendellen (back row) travel along with scrum-half Paddy Patterson.

Shannon RFC’s Aran Hehir, who joined the squad as scrum-half cover in recent weeks, is also included in the travelling squad.

Jeremy Loughman did not travel having been called up to the Ireland senior squad for the first time with Craig Casey and Gavin Coombes returning to international camp.

Forwards (17): Stephen Archer, Diarmuid Barron, Scott Buckley, Chris Cloete, Mark Donnelly, John Hodnett, Cian Hurley, Alex Kendellen, Jean Kleyn, Keynan Knox, Eoin O’Connor, Jack O’Donoghue (C), Jack O’Sullivan, John Ryan, Niall Scannell, Fineen Wycherley, Josh Wycherley.

Backs (16): Liam Coombes, Neil Cronin, Jack Crowley, Shane Daly, Damian de Allende, Chris Farrell, Jake Flannery, Matt Gallagher, Dan Goggin, Mike Haley, Ben Healy, Aran Hehir, Calvin Nash, Paddy Patterson, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo.