RaboDirect PRO12: Michael Bradley welcomes back internationalists for Munster clash

Both Michael Bradley, the Edinburgh coach, and new Munster chief Rob Penney are keeping their cards close to their chest on team selection, Penney naming his first league squad tomorrow and Bradley on Friday. But Bradley has revealed that skipper Greig Laidlaw, Tim Visser, Nick De Luca, Ross Ford and Ross Rennie are all in the frame to play, as is David Denton, now back in full training after the ankle injury that ruled him out of the summer tour. Definitely out, however, due to injury, are Netani Talei, Ben Cairns, Steven Lawrie, Matt Scott and Steven Turnbull.

Munster will be without most of their internationalists from Ireland’s summer tour to New Zealand for the first three weeks as part of the Ireland national squad protocols, including talismen Paul O’Connell, Ronan O’Gara, Conor Murray, Keith Earls, Donnacha Ryan and Peter O’Mahony. For the Murrayfield trip, they are also missing injured back rows Tommy O’Donnell and Dave O’Callaghan, locks Donncha O’Callaghan and Ian Nagle, and versatile Ireland back Felix Jones.

Bradley knows this is a good chance to put one over on his old province, and hopes his side can spark the excitement that brought increased crowds to Murrayfield last season.

“It’s fantastic to select from our entire roster in a competitive context,” he said. “The returning players combined with those who have been working tirelessly through the summer throws up some serious competition across all positions and makes for an exciting prospect.”

In the new “Scotsman Rugby Show” at Scotsman.com, O’Connell said Munster were undergoing a period of rebuilding with a number of central characters from recent Heineken Cup campaigns retired. He hinted that they may not be title contenders this season.

“It will be very tough,” he said. “Edinburgh will be very confident. They have recruited well and they had a good season last season, maybe not in the RaboDirect PRO12 but certainly in the Heineken Cup.”

Squad: Backs – G Tonks, T Brown, M Penn, L Jones, N De Luca, B Atiga, J Houston, T Visser, G Hunter, H Leonard, G Laidlaw, C Leck, R Rees; Forwards – A Jacobsen, J Yapp, R Ford, A Titterrell, G Cross, W Nel, G Gilchrist, R McAlpine, P Parker, S Cox, D Denton, R Rennie, R Grant, S McInally, D Basilaia.