MUNSTER HAVE BEEN forced into making a late change to their starting XV for this evening’s clash with Gloucester at Thomond Park in Pool 6 of the Heineken Cup.

Niall Ronan has failed a fitness test today, having sprained an ankle during a squad training session on Thursday. His replacement at openside flanker in the starting team will be Sean Dougall.

This will be the Scotland-born man’s third start of the season, having already worn the number seven shirt against Edinburgh and the Dragons in the RaboDirect Pro12.

Dougall was originally penned in to start for Munster’s A team against Nottingham yesterday, but was moved to the bench as a precautionary measure and saw no game time. He now forms part of a back row that also includes Peter O’Mahony and Donnacha Ryan for the clash against Gloucester.

CJ Stander remains on the bench as cover.

Munster: Felix Jones; Keith Earls, Casey Laulala, James Downey, Johne Murphy; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley, BJ Botha; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell; Donnacha Ryan, Sean Dougall, Peter O’Mahony (c).

Replacements: Mike Sherry, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, James Coughlan, CJ Stander, Cathal Sheridan, JJ Hanrahan, Denis Hurley.

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