Oct 19,2024
Ciarán Frawley will start his third game in a row at out-half for Leinster, who make seven changes to the side that beat Munster for their BKT URC clash with Connacht on Saturday (7.35pm).
There are two uncapped players in the matchday 23, while Rabah Slimani is set to make his first start since joining from Clermont Auvergne over the summer after making two appearances off the bench so far this season.
It's a new-look front row with Slimani joined by Jack Boyle and academy hooker Gus McCarthy, while James Ryan captains the side from the second row where he is once again partnered by RG Snyman.
Max Deegan is in line to make his fourth appearance of the season, with Will Connors and James Culhane completing a changed back row.
Academy winger Andrew Osborne is the only change to the backline from Saturday's win, with his brother Jamie continuing his run of starting every game so far this season as he is named in the centre alongside Garry Ringrose.
Liam Turner retains his place on the other wing, with Hugo Keenan once more selected at full-back.
Jamison Gibson-Park is once again given the nod at scrum-half alongside Frawley.
Academy duo Hugh Cooney and Stephen Smyth are in line to make their debuts if they are introduced to the action.
Fintan Gunne rounds out a total of five academy players in the matchday squad as he hopes to make his third appearance of the season.
Andrew Porter provides some experience among the replacements while Thomas Clarkson will hope to continue his involvement in every game so far this season.
Brian Deeny and Scott Penny complete the forward reinforcements, while Ross Byrne is in line for his fifth appearance of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Connacht will be without Mack Hansen (above) with the Ireland international missing out due to a hip injury.
The 26-year-old's issue doesn't look like jeopardising his involvement in Ireland's upcoming Tests in November, with the province saying it's "minor" injury.
Head coach Pete Wilkins has made two changes to his side from last week's 32-27 defeat to Ulster, with Hansen and the suspended Josh Murphy both dropping out.
Murphy is set to miss the province's next two URC games after picking up a four-week ban for his red card in last week's game in Belfast.
Hansen is replaced by David Hawkshaw in the starting team, which has caused a positional reshuffle in the backline. Hawkshaw starts at outside centre, with Piers O'Conor moving to full-back, Santiago Cordero pivoting to the left wing, and Shayne Bolton switching over to the right.
Bundee Aki continues at inside centre for the third game in a row, while Ben Murphy and Josh Ioane are again partnered in the half-backs.
It's an unchanged front row, with Denis Buckley and Finlay Bealham packing down either side of Dave Heffernan, while Darragh Murray returns to partner Joe Joyce in the second row in Josh Murphy's absence.
Cian Prendergast captains the side from blindside flanker, with Sean O'Brien and Paul Boyle completing the pack.
On the bench, Jack Aungier, Sean Jansen and Hugh Gavin are all included after their Emerging Ireland commitments, with Gavin set for his Connacht debut.
Jack O'Donoghue shifts from flanker to number 8.
Daly returns from an elbow injury to start on the left wing with Mike Haley at full-back and Calvin Nash on the right wing.
Murray starts with Jack Crowley in the half-backs on his 197th Munster appearance as Alex Nankivell and Tom Farrell continue their centre partnership.
Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell and Ryan pack down in the front row with Jean Kleyn and captain Tadhg Beirne in the second row.
Ahern and Kendellen join O’Donoghue in the back row for their first starts of the season. Ahern returned from an ankle injury last week with Kendellen captaining Emerging Ireland on their recent tour to South Africa.
Academy players Kieran Ryan and Ruadhán Quinn are among the replacements with Billy Burns also included on his return from a shoulder injury.
Hooker Eoghan Clarke, Kieran Ryan and Stephen Archer provide the front row back-up with Clarke in line for his first appearance of the season.
Fineen Wycherley and Quinn complete the forward cover.
Ethan Coughlan, Burns and Seán O’Brien are the backline replacements with Coughlan in line for his first Munster appearance of the season having toured with Emerging Ireland.
On the injury front, Craig Casey was unavailable due to a knock.
Connacht: Piers O'Conor; Shayne Bolton, David Hawkshaw, Bundee Aki, Santiago Cordero; Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Joe Joyce, Darragh Murray; Cian Prendergast (capt), Sean O’Brien, Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Peter Dooley, Jack Aungier, Niall Murray, Sean Jansen, Caolin Blade, Cathal Forde, Hugh Gavin.
Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Liam Turner, Garry Ringrose, Jamie Osborne, Andrew Osborne; Ciarán Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani; RG Snyman, James Ryan (capt); Max Deegan, Will Connors, James Culhane.
Replacements: Stephen Smyth, Andrew Porter, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Ross Byrne, Hugh Cooney.
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (C); Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Jack O'Donoghue.
Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Kieran Ryan, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Ruadhán Quinn, Ethan Coughlan, Billy Burns, Seán O’Brien.
