Rugby - Team news: The Munster starting XV to take on Edinburgh On Friday night sees no less than 11 changes to the side which lost away to Treviso.
The Magners League leaders’ line-up has a more familiar look as a number of internationals and experienced campaigners return to the fray. Peter Stringer, who was withdrawn from the Munster squad ahead of the Treviso game as international cover for Tomás O'Leary, returns to the starting line-up and will form the halfback partnership with Ronan O'Gara, who only came on in the second half against France last weekend.
Denis Leamy coming in is the only change Tony McGahan has made to the backrow and the Cashel man will wear the captain's armband.
Denis Fogarty and Marcus Horan return to the match day 22 for the first time since September and October respectively, having lined out with their clubs in recent weeks.
Six of those who started in Treviso - Doug Howlett, Lifeimi Mafi, Paul Warwick, Damian Varley, Tommy O'Donnell and James Coughlan – stay in the starting XV, while Wian du Preez, Mick O'Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan and Denis Hurley, who came off the bench last Sunday in Stadio Monigo, also start.
O'Driscoll who came on as a second half replacement against Treviso, hopes Munster can build on the manner in which they finished the game in Italy last weekend.
"I think the positive from that game was the way we finished,” said O’Driscoll. “We came back into it and put ourselves in position to achieve a victory which had looked unlikely when they went 16-3 up. We started with a lot of young lads that day and that's something else I would consider a positive.
"So I think what we have to do is look to build on that finish from the start tomorrow night. We need to bounce back and keep ourselves in line for a place in the knock out stages of the Magners which was one of our aims at the start of the season."
Kick-off in Limerick tomorrow night is at 7.50pm.
Connacht coach Eric Elwood also named his starting XV to take on Glasgow at the Sportsground tomorrow night (7pm).
Elwood made two changes to the side that defeated Scarlets with hooker Seán Cronin released from Ireland duty to replace Adrian Flavin, while Ray Ofisa starts at number eight ahead of Mike McComish.
The Connacht backline remains unchanged with Troy Nathan and Niva Ta’auso forming the centre partnership and Fionn Carr, Brian Tuohy and Gavin Duffy completing the back three.
Johnny O’Connor continues to captain the side from flanker and is joined on the other side of the scrum by fellow Galway native Andrew Browne.
Munster team (v Edinburgh): J Murphy, D Howlett, L Mafi, P Warwick, D Hurley, R O'Gara, P Stringer, W du Preez, D Varley, T Buckley; D Ryan, M O'Driscoll, D Leamy (C), T O'Donnell, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, I Nagle, B Holland, D Williams, T Gleeson, S Zebo.
Connacht team (v Glasgow): B Wilkinson, S Cronin, J Hagan, M Swift, M McCarthy, A Browne, J O'Connor (C), R Ofisa, F Murphy, I Keatley, F Carr, T Nathan, N Ta'auso, B Tuohy, G Duffy. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, R Ah You, B Upton, M McComish, C Willis, M Nikora, S Monahan
