Irish 9s giving Munster trio something to chase

While the cats are away.

Mike Prendergast says the exploits of Conor Murray and Craig Casey in the Six Nations can only inspire the rest of the Munster scrum-halves.

The Ireland duo have combined to help Andy Farrell's side to back-to-back championship wins, with Murray starting and Casey coming on as a replacement against Wales and France, with Leinster's Jamison Gibson-Park sidelined.

Back at the base, Paddy Patterson, Neil Cronin and Ethan Coughlan are all vying to impress Graham Rowntree and gunning for game time.

For the visit of the Ospreys this evening to Thomond Park, Patterson (24) and Coughlan (20) get the nods.

"It's an opportunity for them," said Prendergast of the trio.

"We’re fortunate that we have a lot of good scrum-halves that we are producing over the years and that seems to keep going.

"But yeah, the boys who are here with us at the moment, they take huge courage and confidence from what they have seen from Conor and from Craig.

"As I said, one very strong thing coming back in here, it is really notable and it stands out how willing the boys are to help each other as a team, both from position perspective and an individual perspective as well.

"They all bounce off each other, they all help each other.

"They all want the jersey, they all want that, there is no doubt in that, they all want the number nine or the replacements’ jersey but, for sure, they are two lads that, you look at Paddy over the last few months, that when he had to step in he has really taken his opportunities.

"He is a very quick, elusive nine.

"Neilly then, obviously, has that huge amount of experience, again the calmness like Conor would have, and then you have another younger lad coming up, Ethan Coughlan, who has been exposed to the Irish