Munster are set to face Leinster at the Aviva Stadium with several key players missing.
MUNSTER and Leinster have named their teams for Saturday’s derby at the Aviva Stadium, with both sides looking to build on momentum after mixed starts to the United Rugby Championship (URC) season.
The provincial rivals sit ninth and tenth in the table, respectively.
A year on from a sensational 31-14 win over their bitter rivals, Munster travel to Dublin without several key players, including Jack Crowley, Dan Kelly, Michael Milne and Jeremy Loughman. Charlie O’Shea retains his starting spot at out-half following last week’s win over Racing 92 and will again be partnered by Craig Casey.
With Milne and Loughman unavailable, Josh Wycherley starts at loosehead prop. He will be joined in the front-row by Marnus van Der Merwe and Kieran Brookes. Fineen Wycherley starts in the second row alongside captain Tadhg Beirne, while Jack O’Donoghue, Alex Kendellen and Gavin Coombes come into the back row. Edwin Edogbo has not returned from injury in time to join his brother Séan on the Munster bench.
In the backs, Shane Daly returns to starting line-up on the wing, allowing Séan O’Brien to move to outside centre, with Alex Nankivell inside him. Shay McCarthy, a try-scorer against Racing, starts on the opposite wing, and Ben O’Connor continues at full-back.
For Leinster, the main talking point is Dan Sheehan’s moves from his normal hooker position to number eight following Jack Conan’s injury last week. The unexpected move sees Ronan Kelleher wear the number two jersey.
Joey Carbery makes his first start since returning to Leinster this season. Carbery is joined by Jamison Gibson-Park, who makes his season debut in a welcome return ahead of Ireland’s November Tests. Jamie Osborne comes into the side at outside centre in place of Garry Ringrose.
Munster head coach Clayton McMillan will be hoping his side can recreate last year’s performance in Dublin. However, with several key players unavailable, it will prove to be a tall order for Munster team.
Kick-off is at 6.00pm on Saturday, October 24.