Rugby:Keith Earls, who injured a knee in the opening minute of Munster game with Leinster in early November, returns to the side for the Heineken Cup return game with Scarlets at Thomond Park on Sunday (12.45).
He comes straight into the side as a replacement for Will Chambers, while Denis Leamy starts in place of the injured Peter O'Mahony (jaw). Donncha O’Callaghan retains his place in the secondrow having come on in Llanelli as a 55th minute replacement for Donncha Ryan; the latter drops to the replacements.
Earls came through his first full training session late last week and then showed no ill effects when completing two further outings. He’ll line up alongside Lifeimi Mafi in the Munster midfield. Leamy’s promotion means that Tommy O’Donnell joins the replacements, as does Cork Constitution tighthead prop in place of John Hayes.
The Scarlets are without teenage wing George North for a second week as he has failed to recover from a dead leg while playing for Wales. The Welsh side have switched Rhys Priestland to fullback, Stephen Jones comes in at outhalf while there are three alterations in the pack to the side that was beaten 17-14 at home last weekend.
Meanwhile Connacht coach Eric Elwood has made two changes to the team that lost to Gloucester at the Sportsground for the return at Kingsholm. Johnny O’Connor replaces the injured Ray Ofisa (knee) while a fit again Eoin Griffin is preferred to Kyle Tonetti.
Munster:D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; D Leamy, N Ronan, J Coughlan; Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, D Ryan, T O'Donnell, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.
Scarlets:R Priestland; L Williams, S Williams, J Davies, S Lamont; S Jones, G Davies; R Jones, M Rees (capt), R Thomas, L Reed, D Welch, R McCusker, J Edwards, B Morgan. Replacements: K Owens, P John, D Manu, S Timani, K Murphy, T Knoyle, G Maule, V Iongi
Connacht:G Duffy; M McCrea, E Griffin, D McSharry, T O'Halloran; N O'Connor, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, E Reynecke, R Loughney; G Naoupu, M McCarthy; D Gannon, J O'Connor, J Muldoon. Replacements: A Flavin, D Rogers, R Ah You, M Kearney, E McKeon, P O'Donohue, M Jarvis, K Tonetti.
Gloucester Rugby:O Morgan; C Sharples, M Tindall, E Fuimaono-Sapolu, J Simpson-Daniel; T Taylor, N Runciman; D Murphy, S Lawson, R Harden, P Buxton, J Hamilton, B Deacon, A Hazell, L Narraway (capt). Replacements: M Cortese, N Wood, S Knight, W James, A Qera, R Lawson, F Burns, J May
