CONNACHT HAVE REMAINED unchanged from last week’s starting XV for their crucial Magners League derby match against Ulster tonight at the Sportsgrounds (7.30pm). Darragh Fanning comes onto the bench for Tiernan O’Halloran, while Frank Murphy continues as captain in the absence of John Muldoon.

Connacht: Brett Wilkinson, Sean Cronin, Jamie Hagan, Michael Swift, Bernie Upton, Michael McCarthy,  Ray Ofisa, Mike McComish, Frank Murphy (c), Ian Keatley, Fionn Carr, Keith Matthews, Niva Ta’auso, Troy Nathan, Gavin Duffy Replacements: Adrian Flavin, Ronan Loughney, Rob Sweeney, Andrew Browne, Shane Conneeley, Cillian Willis, Miah Nikora, Darragh Fanning

ULSTER are able to bring back a number of first-teamers, including Irish internationals Rory Best and Paddy Wallace for the match against Connacht. Recently-arrived Tim Barker and Pedrie Wannenburg also come in to the team, while Dan Tuohy also makes his first start of the season.

Ulster: Jamie Smith; Paul Emerick; Darren Cave; Ian Whitten; Andrew Trimble; Paddy Wallace; Paul Marshall; Bryan Young; Rory Best (c); Tom Court; Tim Barker; Ryan Caldwell; Stephen Ferris; Chris Henry; Pedrie Wannenburg. Replacements: Andi Kyriacou; BJ Botha; Paddy McAllister; Dan Tuohy; Willie Faloon; Ian Porter; Niall O’Connor; David McIlwaine.

MUNSTER bid to maintain their unbeaten start to the season with an away match at the Glasgow Warriors. John Hayes and Mike Sherry have withdrawn from the squad, leaving Sean Henry and Darragh Hurley to come in. David Wallace should make his first appearance of the season while Lieimi Mafi could make his first start of the season.

Munster: P Warwick; D Howlett, L Mafi, S Tuitupou, J Murphy; R O’Gara, T O’Leary; M Horan, D Varley, T Buckley; D O’Callaghan, D Ryan; D Wallace, N Ronan, D Leamy (c). Replacements: S Henry, W du Preez, Darragh Hurley, M O’Driscoll, J Coughlan, P Stringer, S Deasy, D Hurley.

LEINSTER will seek from last week’s shock loss to Treviso with a win away in Edinburgh, but will have to do without injured kicker Jonny Sexton. Ian Madigan is named in the squad in his place, and either Madigan or Isa Nacewa should start at out-half in Sexxton’s stead.

Leinster: Heinke Van Der Merwe, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Ed O’Donoghue, Devin Toner, Dominic Ryan, Shane Jennings (c), Stephen Keogh, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Luke Fitzgerald, Gordon D’Arcy, Brian O’Driscoll, Shane Horgan, Rob Kearney Replacements:  Jason Harris-Wright, Cian Healy, Simon Shawe, Mariano Galarza, Jamie Heaslip, Isaac Boss, Isa Nacewa, Eoin O’Malley