MUNSTER BOSS JOHANN van Graan has named experienced Ireland international Keith Earls at outside centre for tomorrow’s United Rugby Championship clash with the Stormers at Thomond Park [KO 7.35pm, RTÉ].
It will be Earls’ first start in the number 13 shirt for Munster since January 2018.
Van Graan has made a total of four changes to his team after last weekend’s season-opening victory over the Sharks, with Calvin Nash and Shane Daly coming in on the wings and Keynan Knox getting the nod at tighthead prop.
Stephen Archer and Jack O’Sullivan are set for their first appearances of the season off the Munster bench, which includes RG Snyman again following his long-awaited return from injury last weekend. Simon Zebo is also among the replacements after his two-try return to Munster against the Sharks.
Meanwhile, the Stormers have made six changes following their defeat to Benetton in Italy last weekend. Lock Adre Smith and scrum-half Stefan Ungerer will make their first starts for the South African side.
Munster:
- 15. Mike Haley
- 14. Calvin Nash
- 13. Keith Earls
- 12. Rory Scannell
- 11. Shane Daly
- 10. Joey Carbery
- 9. Craig Casey
- 1. Dave Kilcoyne
- 2. Niall Scannell
- 3. Keynan Knox
- 4. Jean Kleyn
- 5. Fineen Wycherley
- 6. Peter O’Mahony (captain)
- 7. Jack O’Donoghue
- 8. Gavin Coombes
Replacements:
- 16. Diarmuid Barron
- 17. Jeremy Loughman
- 18. Stephen Archer
- 19. RG Snyman
- 20. Jack O’Sullivan
- 21. Rowan Osborne
- 22. Ben Healy
- 23. Simon Zebo
Stormers:
- 15. Warrick Gelant
- 14. Sergeal Petersen
- 13. Ruhan Nel
- 12. Dan du Plessis
- 11. Leolin Zas
- 10. Manie Libbok
- 9. Stefan Ungerer
- 1. Brok Harris
- 2. Scarra Ntubeni
- 3. Neethling Fouche
- 4. Adre Smith
- 5. Salmaan Moerat
- 6. Nama Xaba
- 7. Willie Engelbrecht
- 8. Evan Roos
Replacements:
- 16. Andre-Hugo Venter
- 17. Leon Lyons
- 18. Sazi Sandi
- 19. Ernst van Rhyn
- 20. Marcel Theunissen
- 21. Godlen Masimla
- 22. Tim Swiel
- 23. Rikus Pretorius.