Head coach Leo Cullen has made four changes to the Leinster squad to take on Cardiff Blues in the RDS tomorrow (kick-off 5.15pm) in the Guinness PRO12.
Captain Kevin McLaughlin has failed to come through the return to play protocols in time for the game and as a result Isa Nacewa will captain the side from full-back on his first appearance back at the RDS since his return from a coaching position with the Auckland Blues.
Nacewa also stands to cross the 400-point mark for Leinster on Saturday evening should he successfully convert any opportunities that comes his way from the tee or from play with the Auckland native currently on 399 points for Leinster. Nacewa is in fifth position on the all-time Leinster points scorers list.
Elsewhere, there is only one change to the back line that featured in last week's 16-9 defeat in Edinburgh.
Fergus McFadden again starts on the left wing but on the right wing UCD club man Garry Ringrose will make his debut, having been an unused replacement last week.
The 20 year old Academy player was a mainstay in Nigel Carolan's Ireland Under 20s team that competed in last season's Six Nations and World Rugby Championship.
Noel Reid and Ben Te'o get another chance to impress in the centre, while St Michael's schoolmates Luke McGrath and Cathal Marsh are again selected in the half backs.
There are three changes in the pack. McLaughlin is ruled out as is Tom Denton, who similarly failed to recover in time having gone through the return to play protocols last week.
Michael Bent, Aaron Dundon and Jamie Hagan will form an experienced front row with Ross Molony coming in for Denton in the second row and Mike McCarthy beside him.
It will be Molony's first start for Leinster having played twice last season and having impressed off the bench last week. The 6'5 lock will have plenty of experience beside him as McCarthy closes in on 300 professional club appearances.
The back row consists of Dominic Ryan at blindside, Josh van der Flier for his first appearance of the season at openside and Ireland international Jack Conan once again selected at number eight.
On the replacements bench Lansdowne RFC man Tadhg Beirne is in line to make his debut off the bench in his first year out of the Leinster Academy.
Leinster: Isa Nacewa (capt); Garry Ringrose, Ben Te'o, Noel Reid, Fergus McFadden; Cathal Marsh, Luke McGrath; Michael Bent, Aaron Dundon, Jamie Hagan; Ross Molony, Mike McCarthy; Dominic Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Bryan Byrne, Peter Dooley, Royce Burke-Flynn, Tadhg Beirne, Daniel Leavy, Isaac Boss, Ross Byrne, Cian Kelleher.
Munster head Coach Anthony Foley will give four players their first Pro12 starts against Ospreys in the Liberty Stadium on Sunday.
Tyler Bleyendaal, Mark Chisholm and Francis Saili join academy player Stephen Fitzgerald in making their full Munster debuts.
Bleyendaal made his bow for the province against Treviso last weekend when coming off the bench after 55 minutes and this week he joins Cathal Sheridan in the half-backs.
In total Foley makes 8 changes to the starting XV for Sunday's round 2 encounter which kicks off at 2.30pm.
In the front row, returning international Dave Kilcoyne makes his first appearance of the season, scrumming down alongside Mike Sherry and Stephen Archer, who is promoted from the bench for his 99th appearance for the province.
Munster's newest signing Chisholm lines out next to Dave Foley while the only change to the backrow sees Robin Copeland introduced at number 8.
Francis Saili has successfully completed all of his return to play protocols and makes his PRO12 debut in joining academy player Rory Scannell in the centre partnership.
Scannell's academy colleague Stephen Fitzgerald (19) is named on the wing, joining Andrew Conway and Felix Jones in the back three. Jones takes over the captaincy role this week.
In the replacements, hooker Duncan Casey is included in his first match-day squad of the season while Jordan Coghlan is in line to make his Munster PRO12 debut if sprung from the bench.
Munster: Felix Jones (capt); Andrew Conway, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Stephen Fitzgerald; Tyler Bleyendaal, Cathal Sheridan; Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry, Stephen Archer; Mark Chisholm, Dave Foley; Dave O'Callaghan, Jack O'Donoghue, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Duncan Casey, James Cronin, BJ Botha, Jordan Coghlan, CJ Stander, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, David Johnston.
Ulster have made two personnel changes and one positional switch for tomorrow afternoon’s game against Scarlets, kick-off 3pm.
Andrew Trimble is unavailable for selection having suffered a hip flexor strain against Ospreys last week so therefore Craig Gilroy switches flanks and starts on the right wing, with Rory Scholes coming in on the left.
The other change comes in the pack, with Peter Browne starting his first competitive game for the province in the second row in place of Dan Tuohy.
The rest of the starting XV is unchanged with Louis Ludik named at fullback and Luke Marshall paired with Stuart McCloskey in midfield.
Callum Black returns from an arm injury to take up a place on the replacements bench. He is joined by fellow forwards John Andrew, Ricky Lutton, Robbie Diack and Clive Ross. Backs, David Shanahan, Sam Arnold and David Busby complete the squad.
Fullback, Busby, who has represented Ireland Under-20s and Ulster A, will play his first senior game for the province if called upon.
Ulster: Louis Ludik, Craig Gilroy, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Rory Scholes, Peter Nelson, Paul Marshall; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring (captain), Wiehahn Herbst, Peter Browne, Franco Van der Merwe, Roger Wilson, Willie Faloon, Nick Williams.
Replacements: John Andrew, Callum Black, Ricky Lutton, Robbie Diack, Clive Ross, David Shanahan, Sam Arnold, David Busby.
Connacht head coach Pat Lam has made one change to the side that defeated the Dragons in round 1 for Friday's trip to Glasgow Warriors (kick-off 7.45pm).
Scrumhalf John Cooney will start in the number 9 shirt against the defending champions while Ireland international Kieran Marmion, who was absent from training sessions this week while he recovered from a minor hip injury, is named on the bench.
Up front, captain John Muldoon will line out for his 250th game with his home province and is joined in the back row with the first try-scorer of the season Nepia Fox-Matamua and Academy graduate Eoghan Masterson.
Ultan Dillane comes on to the bench to replace the injured Eoin McKeon while Ben Marshall will now cover the back row as well as lock.
"We understand the enormity of the challenge we have before us against a well-coached Glasgow side stacked full of quality players," said Lam.
"We have yet to win at Scotstoun and we're playing the defending champions who will be fired up after last week's defeat [to Scarlets].
"But our focus for the growth of our young squad is to compete and perform in challenges like this.
"We have trained well this week and we know only performing as a collective will give us a chance."
Connacht: Tiernan O'Halloran; Danie Poolman, Rory Parata, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, John Cooney; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Rodney Ah You; Quinn Roux, Andrew Browne; John Muldoon (captain), Nepia Fox-Matamua, Eoghan Masterson.
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Ben Marshall, Kieran Marmion, Craig Ronaldson, Fionn Carr.
