Shane Horgan will make his 200th appearance for Leinster
Shane Horgan will become the first Leinster player to turn out for the Irish province 200 times when he faces Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday.
Munster make three changes from the side which beat Cardiff Blues for the Magners League top-of-the-table clash.
Donncha O’Callaghan returns to partner Paul O’Connell in the second row and David Wallace comes in at openside flanker.
Donnacha Ryan is named at number six in preference to Denis Leamy.
Conor Murray retains the number nine jersey and Felix Jones is preferred at full-back to Paul Warwick, who is named on the bench.
Horgan continues in the back three alongside Luke Fitzgerald and Isa Nacewa, who both started last weekend’s 26-16 victory over the Dragons.
Gordon D’Arcy partners Brian O’Driscoll at centre with Isaac Boss, a try scorer in Newport, and Jonathan Sexton continuing their half-back partnership.
In all, there are six Ireland internationals in the starting pack, with props Cian Healy and Mike Ross returning to the front row and Kevin McLaughlin forming a back-row unit alongside Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip.
Leo Cullen leads the team and partners Scotland’s Nathan Hines at second row.
Internationals Heinke van der Merwe, Stan Wright, Devin Toner, Rhys Ruddock, Eoin Reddan and Fergus McFadden are named among a strong replacements’ bench.
Munster: F Jones; D Howlett, J Murphy, L Mafi, K Earls; R O’Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, T Buckley; D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell capt; D Ryan, D Wallace, J Coughlan.
Replacements: M Sherry, M Horan, J Hayes, M O’Driscoll, D Leamy, P Stringer, P Warwick, S Tuitupou.
Leinster: I Nacewa; S Horgan, B O’Driscoll, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, I Boss; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross; L Cullen (capt), N Hines; K McLaughlin, S O’Brien, J Heaslip.
Replacements: A Dundon, H van der Merwe, S Wright, D Toner, R Ruddock, E Reddan, I Madigan, F McFadden.
Taken from:
Munster v Leinster (Sat)