On a day of turmoil off the pitch, Munster have made 11 team changes as they look to bounce back from defeat when they welcome Vodacom Bulls to Thomond Park on Saturday (7.45pm).
Following last week's URC opening round defeat to Glasgow Warriors, new signing Jack Aungier is selected at tighthead, while academy players Charlie O’Shea and Marnus van der Merwe earn their first starts.
Returning internationals Craig Casey and Jeremy Loughman are also included with Casey captaining the side and Loughman among the replacements.
Aungier, Shane Daly and Tom Ahern are all named in the starting XV after missing out last week due to injury with Shay McCarthy, Dan Kelly, Seán Edogbo, John Hodnett and Brian Gleeson also come into the side.
Daly, Diarmuid Kilgallen and McCarthy start in the back three with Kelly and Seán O’Brien combining in midfield, while Casey and O’Shea are named in the half-backs.
Michael Milne, Van der Merwe and Aungier pack down in the front row with Ahern and Fineen Wycherley in the second row.
An all-new back-row of Edogbo, Hodnett and Gleeson complete the side.
Due to injury problems at hooker, with Diarmuid Barron, Lee Barron, Max Clein and Danny Sheahan all ruled out; new man Kieran Brookes will be the back up to the number two shirt.
Munster: Shane Daly; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Seán O’Brien, Dan Kelly, Shay McCarthy; Charlie O’Shea, Craig Casey (captain); Michael Milne, Marnus van der Merwe, Jack Aungier; Tom Ahern, Fineen Wycherley; Seán Edogbo, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson.
Replacements: Kieran Brookes, Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Gavin Coombes, Ben O’Donovan, JJ Hanrahan, Alex Kendellen.
Ciarán Frawley will make his Connacht debut in Friday night's away trip to Treviso (7.45pm).
The Irish international has been selected at out-half, one of half a dozen players named in the Ireland summer tour to come straight into the matchday 23, having missed last week.
Cian Prendergast captains the side from the flank, player of the year Sean Jansen starts at number 8 and lock Darragh Murray is named in the second row.
Props Billy Bohan and Sam Illo – who’s set to make his 50th Connacht appearance - are among the replacements.
There are two further changes from the side that started last week’s opener against the Stormers. Hooker Matthew Victory is handed his first Connacht start, while Caolin Blade is named at scrum-half.
Completing the pack is props Francois van Wyk and Finlay Bealham, lock Josh Murphy, and Sean O’Brien who shifts to the openside flank.
The rest of the backs are unchanged, with Mack Hansen and Finn Treacy on the wings, Cathal Forde and John Devine in the centre, and Sam Gilbert at full-back.
Connacht: Sam Gilbert, Finn Treacy, John Devine, Cathal Forde, Mack Hansen, Ciarán Frawley, Caolin Blade, Francois van Wyk, Matthew Victory, Finlay Bealham, Darragh Murray, Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast (CAPT), Sean O'Brien, Sean Jansen.
Replacements: Eoin de Buitlear, Billy Bohan, Sam Illo, Niall Murray, Paul Boyle, Colm Reilly, Josh Ioane, Shane Jennings.
Rónan Kelleher comes in to captain a Leinster team that shows five changes to the side defeated last time out as they continue their South African tour against the Hollywoodbets Sharks on Saturday (5.30pm).
Kelleher will be joined in the front row at Kings Park Stadium by Thomas Clarkson at tighthead prop with Andrew Porter moving across to loosehead.
Conor O'Tighearnaigh is joined by Alan Spicer in the second row with Ryan Baird moving to the back row alongside Josh Ericson and Josh van der Flier.
CONOR O'TIGHEARNAIGH ON JUGGLING RUGBY WITH MEDICINE
Fintan Gunne continues at scrum-half after scoring a hat-trick in the opening round, with Caspar Gabriel his partner at out-half once more.
Robbie Henshaw is named at inside centre as the only change to the backline with Hugh Cooney at outside centre once more.
It's an unchanged back three, with Andrew Osborne and Tommy O'Brien on the wings at Todd Lawlor at full-back, with head coach Leo Cullen opting for a 4/4 split on the bench.
Leinster: Todd Lawlor, Tommy O'Brien, Hugh Cooney, Robbie Henshaw, Andrew Osborne, Caspar Gabriel, Fintan Gunne; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher (captain), Thomas Clarkson, Conor O’Tighearnaigh, Alan Spicer, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Josh Ericson.
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Alex Usanov, Niall Smyth, Brian Deeney, Ciarán Mangan, Oliver Coffey, Sam Prendergast, Hugo McLaughlin.
Ulster welcome back a number of Irish internationals for Saturday's away assignment against Glasgow Warriors (5.30pm).
Tom Stewart, Cormac Izuchukwu, Bryn Ward and Jacob Stockdale are all back in the starting line-up, while Nathan Doak is among the replacements.
Stockdale will make his 150th provincial appearance at full-back.
New signings Keynan Knox, Matthew Devine and Chay Mullins make their first Ulster starts.
There are two changes to the front row, with hooker Tom Stewart captaining the side and new signing Keynan Knox making his first start at tighthead prop. Eric O’Sullivan gets the nod at loosehead prop.
Izuchukwu links up with Zimbabwean lock Eli Snyman in the second row.
In the back row, academy player James McKillop is picked at blindside flanker, with David McCann starting on the openside.
Bryn Ward makes his first appearance of the new campaign at number eight.
New scrum-half Matthew Devine is rewarded for an eye-catching performance from the bench last week, with Jack Murphy at out-half.
There is one change to the midfield, as versatile back, Ethan McIlroy, starts at outside centre. New signing Jamie Benson continues at inside centre.
Zac Ward and debutant Chay Mullins are named on the wings, with Stockdale completing the back three.
Ulster: Jacob Stockdale, Chay Mullins, Ethan McIlroy, Jamie Benson, Zac Ward, Jack Murphy, Matthew Devine, Eric O'Sullivan, Tom Stewart (CAPT), Keynan Knox, Cormac Izuchukwu, Eli Snyman, James McKillop, David McCann, Bryn Ward.
Replacements: Henry Walker, Tom McAllister, Eduardo Bello, Ben Donnell, James McNabney, Nathan Doak, Jake Flannery, Juarno Augustus.
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