Rugby:The Leinster side to face Munster in tomorrow's RaboDirect PRO12 encounter in the Aviva Stadium (KO: 8pm) includes 13 Irish internationals, although Irish captain, Brian O'Driscoll, remains sidelined.
O’Driscoll, following further testing, has been given an extra week to recover from a ‘stinger’ he suffered during the World Cup.
Wexford centre Gordon D’Arcy is one of five players in total, including the backrow trio of Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings and Sean O’Brien, to make their seasonal debuts for Leinster after their involvement in the Rugby World Cup last month in New Zealand.
Prop Cian Healy is the other player.
Isaac Boss again partners Jonathan Sexton at half back, with D’Arcy linking up with Fergus McFadden at centre. Isa Nacewa returns to the wing after being rested last week with Rob Kearney taking up his familiar roll in fullback.
In the front row, Healy joins hooker Richardt Strauss, who is preferred to Sean Cronin, and Irish tighthead prop Mike Ross. Captain Leo Cullen starts at second row alongside Devin Toner.
Internationals Cronin, Kevin McLaughlin, Eoin Reddan and Rhys Ruddock are included on the Leinster replacements bench for the game, which is already set to be played in front of over 46,000 supporters, making it the third largest attendance in league history.
Last year’s record attendance was 50,645 against Munster in the Aviva Stadium (2nd October 2010) and the previous record crowd of 48,000 attended ‘The Last Stand’ against Ulster in Lansdowne Road (31st December 2006).
Munster makes three changes in personnel from last week’s game with just one of those coming in the backs, where there’s a straight swop of the experienced Lifeimi Mafi for young Danny Barnes.
The pack remains the same as last week with Damien Varley propped by the South African pairing of Wian du Preez and BJ Botha.
In a familiar second row pairing, Paul O’Connell has his usual sidekick Donncha O’Callaghan back alongside with O’Connell’s partner from last weekend, Donnacha Ryan, retained in the side but on the blindside flank.
Experience again probably decided the openside flanker and number 8 positions, Niall Ronan is brought in at seven at the expense of Peter O’Mahony with Denis Leamy ousting James Coughlan at the back of the scrum. Both O’Mahony and Coughlan are named on the bench.
“ I don't think there are many greater challenges in European rugby than playing the Heineken champions, the number one ranked side in a sell out at the national stadium, a venue they've had wonderful success at,” said Munster coach Tony McGahan.
"So what a perfect way to get back into the RaboDirect but also for the upcoming Heineken Cup, it’s a perfect platform to certainly give us a great indication of where we are.”
Munster has a number of high profile players still on the injury list including David Wallace, Jerry Flannery, Felix Jones, Mike Sherry, Darragh Hurley and Dave O'Callaghan.
Leinster: R Kearney; I Nacewa, F McFadden, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, I Boss; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross, L Cullen ©, D Toner, S O’Brien, S Jennings, J Heaslip. Replacements-S Cronin, H van der Merwe, J Hagan, K McLoughlin, R Ruddock, E redden, I Madigan, E O’Malley.
Munster. J Murphy; D Howlett, W Chambers, L Mafi, K Earls; R O’Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell capt; D Ryan, N Ronan, D Leamy. Replacements. D Fogarty, M Horan, J Hayes, P O’Mahony, J Coughlan, T O’Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.
Referee: P Gauzere (FFR)
