Big names return for mammoth clash
Munster's matchday squad has a familiar look to it this weekend with nineteen of those who played in th Heineken Cup semifinal defeat to Leinster last May named in their squad for Saturday's Magners League clash at the RDS.
The match sees the appearance for the first time this season of Keith Earls, Ian Dowling, Jerry Flannery, Paul O'Connell and David Wallace while Paul Warwick returns to the match day squad after injuring a foot in the pre-season game against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.
Earls and O'Connell were due to turn out against Dragons last weekend but were denied by illness and injury respectively but both came through training yesterday with flying colours and while Earls is in from the off, the Lions captain will start from the bench.
Speaking at yesterday's press conference at UL, explaining why reporters had seen him with an ice pack, O'Connell said: "Its [hamstring] fine now, not a problem. I have to manage it thats all, that's why the ice, and thats why I didn't play last week. I won't play a full game on Saturday cause it's my first game back rather than anything else really.
"I'm looking forward to getting back on the field. This game comes as the ideal preparation both for myself and the squad ahead of the European games coming up. Really looking forward to it."
Ian Dowling has recovered from the knee injury that as kept him out up to last Thursday when he played a full 80 minutes in Munster As win over Ulster at Shawsbridge.
Elsewhere, Tony McGahan makes two changes to the back row, one enforced by the absence through injury (neck) of Alan Quinlan, with Denis Leamy on the blindside, Niall Ronan back from injury on the open and three-try scorer in the Dragons game, Nick Williams not surprisingly continuing at No.8.
Confirming the news earlier in the week, Leinster star Brian O'Driscoll will make his first appearance of the season after being named in the starting line-up for the big interprovincial derby.
O'Driscoll will partner Gordon D'Arcy at centre, with Isa Nacewa starting at fullback three which includes Ireland duo Luke Fitzgerald and Shane Horgan.
Shane Jennings joins Kevin McLaughlin and Jamie Heaslip in the back-row with Nathan Hines again partnering skipper Leo Cullen from second row. Ireland international quartet Bernard Jackman, Rob Kearney, Malcolm O'Kelly and Mike Ross are named on a strong bench.
The teams
Leinster: 15 Isa Nacewa, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Leo Cullen (captain), 3 Stan Wright, 2 John Fogarty, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Bernard Jackman, 17 Mike Ross, 18 Malcolm O'Kelly, 19 Sean O'Brien, 20 Simon Keogh, 21 Fergus McFadden, 22 Rob Kearney.
Munster: 15 Keith Earls, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Lifeimi Mafi, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Denis Hurley, 10 Ronan O'Gara (captain), 9 Tomas O'Leary, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Niall Ronan, 6 Denis Leamy, 5 Mick O'Driscoll, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 John Hayes, 2 Denis Fogarty, 1 Marcus Horan.
Replacements: 16 Jerry Flannery, 17 Tony Buckley, 18 Paul O'Connell, 19 David Wallace, 20 Paul Warwick, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Ian Dowling.
Date: Saturday, October 3
Time: 18:30 (17:30 GMT)
Venue: RDS
Referee: Simon McDowell (IRFU)
Assistant referees: David Wilkinson (IRFU), Michael Black (IRFU)
TMO: Peter Ferguson (IRFU)