O’Connell to start; Munster and Ulster name sides for derby clash
Munster and Ulster have named strong starting teams for their meeting in the penultimate round of the PRO12.
The two Irish provinces face off in Kingspan Stadium tomorrow afternoon, with both sides going for a home semi-final.
Munster have made three changes to their starting XV for the game, with Paul O’Connell returning to the second row where he will partner Donnacha Ryan.
Eusebio Guinazu comes in at hooker in the other change in the forwards, where he will pack down with Stephen Archer and Dave Kilcoyne.
The back row is unchanged - captain Peter O'Mahony is joined by Tommy O'Donnell and CJ Stander.
In the forwards the back three is also unchanged with Felix Jones starting at full-back and Keith Earls and Simon Zebo on the wings.
The only change in the forward line sees Denis Hurley start at inside centre, partnered with Andrew Smith at 13. The half-backs are unchanged with Ian Keatley at 10 alongside Conor Murray.
Ulster have made just one change from the team that beat Leinster two weeks ago.
Peter Nelson comes in on the left wing in place of Craig Gilroy, who picked up a hamstring injury in training.
He is joined in the back three by Louis Ludik and Tommy Bowe, while Jared Payne and Darren Cave continue their centre partnership.
Once again, Paddy Jackson and Ruan Pienaar line out alongside each other in the halfbacks.
In the forwards an unchanged pack sees captain Rory Best joined by Callum Black and Wiehahn Herbst.
Dan Tuohy starts alongside Franco van der Merwe in the second row.
Iain Henderson is selected at blindside flanker while Chris Henry continues at openside and Roger Wilson, will become Ulster’s most capped PRO12 player on Saturday, starts at the base of the scrum.
Ulster v Munster at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday May 9 - kick off 2.40pm.
: Felix Jones; Keith Earls, Andrew Smith, Denis Hurley, Simon Zebo, Ian Keatley, Conor Murray, Dave Kilcoyne, Eusebio Guinazu, Stephen Archer; Donnacha Ryan, Paul O'Connell; Peter O'Mahony - capt., Tommy O'Donnell, CJ Stander.
: Duncan Casey, John Ryan, BJ Botha, Billy Holland, Jack O'Donoghue, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Ronan O'Mahony.
: L Ludik; T Bowe, J Payne, D Cave, P Nelson, P Jackson, R Pienaar, C Black, R Best - capt., W Herbst, D Tuohy, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, C Henry, R Wilson.
: R Herring, A Warwick, B Ross, R Diack, C Ross, P Marshall, I Humphreys, S McCloskey.
