LEINSTER BOSS LEO Cullen has named Ciarán Frawley at out-half for tomorrow’s URC clash with Munster at a sold-out Croke Park [KO 5.45pm, RTÉ/Premier Sports].
Frawley will wear the number 10 shirt opposite Munster’s Jack Crowley as he makes his second consecutive start at out-half for Leinster.
Frawley is again part of a star-studded Leinster team that shows three changes from last weekend’s win over Benetton.
James Ryan comes into the second row in place of Joe McCarthy and will partner RG Snyman, who will play against his former Munster team-mates having moved to Leinster during the summer.
Lee Barron gets a big start at hooker with Rónan Kelleher having joined Dan Sheehan on the injury list, while centre Liam Turner will start on the right wing following injuries for Jimmy O’Brien and Jordan Larmour. With Robbie Henshaw yet to return this season, Jamie Osborne continues alongside Garry Ringrose in midfield.
The Leinster bench includes academy hooker Gus McCarthy, who returned from the Emerging Ireland tour earlier this week, while Cullen has included both of the Byrne brothers, Ross and Harry, as replacements.
Meanwhile, Munster boss Graham Rowntree has been able to welcome influential centre Alex Nankivell back from injury for this inter-provincial derby, while lock/blindside Tom Ahern will make his first appearance of the season off the bench.
Fullback Mike Haley has proven his fitness to start at fullback after being forced off injured during last weekend’s win over the Ospreys, while Seán O’Brien comes straight in on the left wing for Munster after his early return from the Emerging Ireland tour.
Gavin Coombes starts at number eight, with Jack O’Donoghue moving to blindside flanker in the injury-enforced absence of Peter O’Mahony. Stephen Archer gets the nod at tighthead prop after Oli Jager was injured against the Ospreys.
20-year-old back row Ruadhán Quinn has recovered from a head injury to take a place on Munster’s bench, which also includes academy loosehead prop Kieran Ryan.
Leinster:
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Liam Turner
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Jamie Osborne
11. James Lowe
10. Ciarán Frawley
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter
2. Lee Barron
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. RG Snyman
5. James Ryan
6. Jack Conan
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)
Replacements:
16. Gus McCarthy
17. Cian Healy
18. Thomas Clarkson
19. Ryan Baird
20. Max Deegan
21. Luke McGrath
22. Ross Byrne
23. Harry Byrne
Munster:
15. Mike Haley
14. Calvin Nash
13. Tom Farrell
12. Alex Nankivell
11. Seán O’Brien
10. Jack Crowley
9. Craig Casey
1. Jeremy Loughman
2. Niall Scannell
3. Stephen Archer
4. Jean Kleyn
5. Tadhg Beirne (captain)
6. Jack O’Donoghue
7. John Hodnett
8. Gavin Coombes
Replacements:
16. Diarmuid Barron
17. Kieran Ryan
18. John Ryan
19. Tom Ahern
20. Ruadhán Quinn
21. Conor Murray
22. Tony Butler
23. Shay McCarthy
Referee: Chris Busby [IRFU].
