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Munster's troops ready to return

MUNSTER COACH Rob Penney is set to unleash three Ireland international backs on Ulster in a bid to maintain their winning start…

Tue Sept 11 2012 - 01:00

MUNSTER COACH Rob Penney is set to unleash three Ireland international backs on Ulster in a bid to maintain their winning start to the RaboDirect Pro 12.

Ronan O’Gara, Conor Murray and Keith Earls are set to feature when Ulster and Munster put their 100 per cent records on the line at Ravenhill on Friday night.

Both sides are set to gradually re-introduce their internationals over the next two weekends and Penney confirmed yesterday at training in Cork that O’Gara, Murray and Earls will feature.

But it remains to be seen if they will start on Friday with outhalf Ian Keatley superb in the opening round wins over Edinburgh and Treviso, scoring 32 of Munster’s 42 points so far.

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“In terms of availability Conor Murray, Keith Earls and Ronan O’Gara are available to us, but we haven’t made the final selection yet so we’ll see where they sit. They’re in the frame,” said Penney, who reported no new injury concerns following Friday night’s 19-6 win over Treviso.

Penney is looking forward to his first Irish derby and expects a tougher challenge from an Ulster side who backed up their opening day 18-10 win over Glasgow by inflicting a second defeat on champions Ospreys when they won 16-13 at the Liberty Stadium.

“They have to be ready for a real physical battle up there, it’s going to be terrific. If they’re in the right frame of mind they’ll be competitive and then we’re in with a shot,” said Penney.

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The Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has been banned for two weeks for butting Australian counterpart Nathan Sharpe, ruling him out of South Africa’s Rugby Championship game in New Zealand this weekend.

Etzebeth was found guilty in a SANZAR hearing on Monday after he thrust his head into the face of the Wallabies’ veteran in the 25th minute of Australia’s come-from-behind win in Perth on Saturday.

Etzebeth will be clear to play again after September 24th and available for home games against Australia and New Zealand.

The 20-year-old Etzebeth has been one of South Africa’s best forwards in a struggling first southern hemisphere championship for the Springboks under their new coach Heyneke Meyer.