Leinster has made three changes to the pack for Saturday's derby in Aviva Stadium as Munster wheel in their inspirational captain and leader Peter O'Mahony.
In the first ’big’ match of the season, coach Matt O’Connor has strengthened his frontrow, bringing in loosehead prop Jack McGrath and and Irish tighthead Mike Ross.
Seán Cronin will start his fifth Guinness Pro12 in a row at hooker, the Limerick man facing his former club for whom he made two appearances.
The third change is in the secondrow where Irish lock Mike McCarthy comes in to partner Devin Toner. Australian, Kane Douglas, who arrived in Dublin a couple of weeks ago, is named amongst the replacements.
O'Connor has kept faith in his backrow with the relatively young pair of Rhys Ruddock and Dominic Ryan doing enough in last week's 37-23 win over Cardiff to hold their places, Ruddock also dotting down for a try.
They will face a Munster backrow of CJ Stander, Tommy O'Donnell and Robin Copeland with O'Mahony returning for the first time since Munster's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Toulouse in April.
The inspirational backrow is expected to appear. Damien Varley is also included after rehabbing an ongoing foot injury.
It’s Copeland’s first Pro12 interprovincial derby with Stander moving across the backrow to the blindside.
O’Connor has left his Leinster backs alone with Gordon D’Arcy and Ian Madigan’s new partnership in the centre holding, D’Arcy blossomed in the outside centre position last week with a man of the match performance.
Rob Kearney starts at fullback, with Darragh Fanning and Fergus McFadden on the left and right wing respectively. Eoin Reddan and outhalf Jimmy Gopperth start in the halfbacks.
Coach Anthony Foley has made a total of eight changes to the side that lost 14-19 to Ospreys last week in Thomond Park. Still on a stuttering start, Foley is anxious to make a statement about this Munster squad with the European Rugby Champions Cup only weeks away.
In the frontrow he brings in James Cronin and Stephen Archer at loosehead and tighthead respectively, with Dave Kilcoyne and Botha giving way, while Duncan Casey makes his fourth consecutive start at hooker. Dave Foley comes in for Donncha O'Callaghan to partner Paul O'Connell in the secondrow.
Conor Murray and Ian Keatley remain, while Denis Hurley resumes his centre partnership with Andrew Smith, who replaces Ivan Dineen. Andrew Conway retains his place on the wing and he is joined by Simon Zebo. Captain Felix Jones starts at fullback with Johne Murphy moving to the Munster 'A' side..
Munster: F Jones (capt); A Conway, A Smith, D Hurley, S Zebo; I Keatley, C Murray; J Cronin, D Casey, S Archer; D Foley, P O'Connell; CJ Stander, T O'Donnell, R Copeland. Replacements: D Varley, D Kilcoyne, BJ Botha, B Holland, P O'Mahony, D Williams, JJ Hanrahan, G van den Heever.
Leinster: R Kearney; F McFadden, G D'Arcy, I madigan, D Fanning; J Gopperth, E Reddan; J McGrath, S Cronin, M Ross; D Toner, M McCarthy; R Ruddock, D Ryan, J Heaslip (capt). Replacements: B Byrne, M Bent, T Furlong, K Douglas, J Conan, I Boss, S Crosbie, M McGrath.
