MAGNERS LEAGUE/MUNSTER V ULSTER:Rua Tipoki returns to the Munster side as Tony McGahan's men look to reclaim top spot in the Magners League after defeat to Connacht last weekend. The Kiwi will resume his central partnership with Lifiemi Mafi after making a rapid recovery from medial ligament damage sustained against the All Blacks in six weeks ago.
The 12-6 loss at the Sportsground allowed Ospreys into pole position with a win over the Cardiff Blues but McGahan's side don't do two defeats in a row, although they face a stern test against an Ulster side whose loss to Leinster was the first in five games.
Ronán O'Gara replaces Paul Warwick and will captain the home side in the absence of Paul O'Connell, after the big lock was rested for the visit of Matt Williams's side. The latter has also given his captain, Rory Best, the day off and transferred leadership duties to Kieron Dawson, who replaces Stephen Pollock on the openside.
McGahan has also opted to rest Keith Earls, who is replaced at fullback by Denis Hurley, while Kieran Lewis comes on to the wing to replace Ian Dowling and Barry Murphy reverts to the bench after lining out alongside Mafi against Connacht.
There are also a number of changes in the pack for the European champions with hooker Frankie Sheahan and prop Tony Buckley making way for Jerry Flannery and John Hayes respectively.
The secondrow partnership of Donncha O'Callaghan and Mick O'Driscoll remains but in the backrow Alan Quinlan and David Wallace make way for Donnacha Ryan and Nick Williams. Quinlan makes the bench.
Matt Williams's decision to rest Best means Nigel Brady starts at hooker and Stuart Philpott provides cover on the bench.
Prop Tom Court replaces Justin Fitzpatrick in the frontrow, while Dawson comes in Pollock. The stand-in captain is calling on the more experienced players in the squad to lead by example.
"I've said to the players a few times that the senior players in the squad have got to lead the rest of them," said the former Ireland backrow today. "At the end of the day we are Ulster and we are going down to do a job against Munster and we have got to believe in ourselves.
"I'm looking forward to playing in a great stadium against a great side, running yourself into the ground and sitting in the changing rooms being able to look each other in the eye afterwards."
Kick-off at Thomond Park is at 7.30pm.
Munster: D Hurley; D Howlett, R Tipoki, L Mafi, K Lewis; R O'Gara (capt), P Stringer; F Pucciariello, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll; D Ryan, N Ronan, N Williams. Replacements: D Fogarty, T Ryan, J Coughlan, A Quinlan, M Prendergast, P Warwick, B Murphy.
Ulster: C Schifcoske; A Trimble, D Cave, P Wallace, T Nagusa; I Humphreys, I Boss; T Court, N Brady, BJ Botha, M McCullough, E O'Donoghue, S Ferris, K Dawson (capt), R Diack. Replacements: S Philpott, J Fitzpatrick, F Paulo, D Pollock, P Marshall, P Steinmetz, B Cunningham
