Johann van Graan has named Joey Carbery and CJ Stander in his Munster team to face Castres for Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup clash at Thomond Park (kick-off 1pm).
They are the only two changes in personnel from the side that defeated Edinburgh in the Guinness Pro 14 last time out.
Mike Haley starts at full-back with free-scoring Andrew Conway and Keith Earls completing the back three.
Rory Scannell and Chris Farrell continue their centre partnership with Conor Murray and Carbery paired together in the red of Munster for the first time in the half-backs.
The tight five are unchanged with Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell and John Ryan in the front row with Tadhg Beirne and Billy Holland in the engine room.
Peter O’Mahony captains the side from the back row with Chris Cloete and the returning Stander completing the side.
Jeremy Loughman, Ciaran Parker and Fineen Wycherley are in line to make their Champions Cup debuts off the bench.
Munster: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Joey Carbery, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Billy Holland; Peter O’Mahony (C), Chris Cloete, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Jeremy Loughman, Ciaran Parker, Fineen Wycherley, Arno Botha, Alby Mathewson, JJ Hanrahan, Sammy Arnold.
Follow Munster v Castres via our liveblog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the News Now app or listen to live commentary with Michael Corcoran and Donal Lenihan on a 2fm Game On special this Sunday (kick-off 1pm)
In the European Challenge Cup, Connacht are boosted by the return of Irish internationals Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and Quinn Roux for the clash with Perpignan in The Sportsground on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).
Aki forms a midfield partnership with 22 year old Academy player Kieran Joyce who is set to make his Connacht debut.
Bealham’s return to the front row sees him line up alongside hooker Dave Heffernan who captains the side and loosehead Peter McCabe. With three appearances off the bench so far this season, lock Joe Maksymiw comes in for his first start alongside the experienced Quinn Roux.In the back row, Eoghan Masterson has returned from an injury which has kept him out of action so far this season and is named at blindside.
Colby Fainga’a starts at openside having impressed in the back-to-back wins on the tour to South Africa.There is a new half-back pairing as David Horwitz is named at out-half alongside James Mitchell at scrum-half.In the back three, Darragh Leader comes in at full-back while Matt Healy and Cian Kelleher occupy the wings.
Connacht: Darragh Leader, Cian Kelleher, Kieran Joyce, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy, David Horwitz, James Mitchell; Peter McCabe, Dave Heffernan (Capt), Finlay Bealham, Joe Maksymiw, Quinn Roux, Eoghan Masterson, Colby Fainga’a, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Matthew Burke, Dominic Robertson McCoy, Gavin Thornbury, James Connolly, Caolin Blade, Conor Fitzgerald, Kyle Godwin.
