BEN HEALY WILL start at out-half for Munster against Ulster tomorrow evening after recovering from his shoulder injury.
Healy was on the receiving end of two late hits in Munster’s Champions Cup victory over Harlequins, which ruled him out of the trip to Clermont Auvergne, but is passed fit for Saturday’s Guinness Pro14 interpro at Kingspan Stadium [5.15pm, eir Sport, Premier Sport].
Head coach Johann van Graan names a much-changed side from the victory in France, with fullback Shane Daly the only player to retain his starting position, while Niall Scannell and Liam Coombes both make their first appearances of the season.
Another boosts sees the return of Dave Kilcoyne to the bench for the first time since August following successful surgery on an ankle injury.
For his part, Dan McFarland has made 10 changes to the Ulster side which beat Connacht last weekend.
There’s an injection of international experience as John Cooney and Billy Burns return to the half-backs while Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Eric O’Sullivan and Marty Moore also return to the starting XV.
Academy prospects Callum Reid and Nathan Doak are both in line to make the senior debuts if called upon from the bench.
Ulster
15. Jacob Stockdale
14. Matt Faddes
13. James Hume
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Ethan McIlroy
10. Billy Burns
9. John Cooney
1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. Rob Herring
3. Marty Moore
4. Kieran Treadwell
5. Sam Carter (c)
6. Matty Rea
7. David McCann
8. Nick Timoney
Replacements:
16. Adam McBurney
17. Callum Reid
18. Tom O’Toole
19. David O’Connor
20. Marcell Coetzee
21. Nathan Doak
22. Ian Madigan
23. Ben Moxham
Munster
15. Shane Daly
14. Calvin Nash
13. Dan Goggin
12. Rory Scannell
11. Liam Coombes
10. Ben Healy
9. Craig Casey
1. Liam O’Connor
2. Niall Scannell
3. John Ryan
4. Fineen Wycherley
5. Billy Holland (c)
6. Jack O’Donoghue
7. Chris Cloete
8. Jack O’Sullivan
Replacements:
16. Rhys Marshall
17. Dave Kilcoyne
18. Roman Salanoa
19. Thomas Ahern
20. Tommy O’Donnell
21. Nick McCarthy
22. Jack Crowley
23. Darren Sweetnam
– Updated 12.47: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to the result of Munster’s Champions Cup game against Clermont Auvergne; Munster won the game 39-31.
Subscribe to The42 Rugby Weekly podcast here:
