THREE MUNSTER STARS are set to make their Heineken Cup debuts as Tony McGahan announced a starting XV which features more than one notable omission.

In total, McGahan has made five changes to his side for the visit of the Northampton Saints to Thomond Park tomorrow.

With Keith Earls set to sit out most of the pool stages, Denis Hurley steps in on the wing and Danny Barnes — Earls’ replacement against Leinster last week — shifts to outside centre for his tournament bow.

At scrum-half, Conor Murray makes his first Heineken Cup appearance alongside the experienced Ronan O’Gara.

But, surprisingly, there is no room for two other veterans, Donncha O’Callaghan and Denis Leamy, in the Munster pack.

Instead, Donnacha Ryan partners Paul O’Connell in the second row, opening up a slot for Peter O’Mahony to make his debut at blindside and James Coughlan to slot in at number eight.

“Over the years I’d a been longing to play second row,” Ryan said today, “but obviously with the calibre of player that was there I had to play back-row.”

Yeah,  I’d like to nail down a second row place but basically I’d like to play rugby so at the end of the day so I’ll play where I’m put really.

James Downey and Vasily Artemiev, two names who will be familiar to Irish rugby fans, both start for Northampton tomorrow.

Munster: Murphy; Howlett, Barnes, Mafi, Hurley; O’Gara, Murray; Du Preez, Varley, Botha; Ryan, O’Connell; O’Mahony, Ronan, Coughlan. Replacements: Fogarty, Ryan, Hayes, O’Callaghan, Leamy, O’Leary, Keatley, Chambers.