Updated 12.35
MUNSTER HEAD COACH Rob Penney has made eight changes to his starting team for tomorrow night’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash with the Scarlets in Wales [KO 6.30pm].
Simon Zebo moves to fullback after scoring a try from the left wing in last weekend’s impressive 25-11 victory away to the Ospreys. Gerhard van den Heever comes into the team in the 11 shirt, with Johne Murphy starting on the other flank.
Denis Hurley’s conversion into a centre continues as he replaces James Downey in midfield, while Duncan Williams – who has signed a one-year contract extension that will keep him at Munster until June 2015 – comes in for the injured Cathal Sheridan at scrum-half.
Up front, there are four changes as Dave Kilcoyne and Stephen Archer are selected either side of Duncan Casey in the front-row, while Donncha O’Callaghan is in at lock and CJ Stander starts at blindside flanker.
Meanwhile, Connacht head coach Pat Lam has made just three changes to his XV for tomorrow’s league fixture against Benetton Treviso [KO 5.00pm]. Having enjoyed a bonus point victory away to Zebre last weekend, the former Samoa international is backing many of the same men to do the job against Italian opposition at the Sportsground.
20-year-old Robbie Henshaw has been released from Ireland duty to start at fullback in the only alteration to the backline, while Aly Muldowney and Eoin McKeon come into the team at lock and No. 8 respectively.
Munster (v Scarlets): Simon Zebo; Gerhard van den Heever, Casey Laulala, Denis Hurley, Johne Murphy; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; Dave Kilcoyne, Duncan Casey, Stephen Archer; Donncha O’Callaghan, Donnacha Ryan; CJ Stander, Tommy O’Donnell, James Coughlan (capt.).
Replacements: Ger Slattery, James Cronin, BJ Botha, Dave Foley, Sean Dougall, Gerry Hurley, JJ Hanrahan, Ronan O’Mahony.
Connacht (v Treviso): Robbie Henshaw; Tiernan O’Halloran, Eoin Griffin, Dave McSharry, Fionn Carr; Dan Parks, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Jason Harris-Wright, Rodney Ah You; Aly Muldowney, Mick Kearney; John Muldoon (capt.), Eoghan Masterson, Eoin McKeon.Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Nathan White, Michael Swift, Andrew Browne, Frank Murphy, Miah Nikora, Danie Poolman.
