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Alex Nankivell and Josh Wycherley named in Munster team

Alex Nankivell starts for Munster at Stade Chaban Delmas
Alex Nankivell starts for Munster at Stade Chaban Delmas

Alex Nankivell returns to the Munster starting line-up for Saturday's Investec Champions Cup quarter-final away to Bordeaux-Begles after a successful appeal of his two-match ban.

The only other personnel change from the side which dispatched La Rochelle last weekend sees Josh Wycherley start in place of the injured Jeremy Loughman.

Stephen Archer keeps his place in the replacements and could make a landmark 300th Munster appearance.

Tadhg Beirne captains the side, while Thaakir Abrahams, Calvin Nash and Andrew Smith form an unchanged back three with Nankivell and Tom Farrell in midfield.

Craig Casey and Jack Crowley, who signed a two-year contract extension this week, continue in the half-backs.

Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron and Oli Jager pack down in the front row, with Jean Kleyn and Beirne in the engine room.

Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes complete the side.

Niall Scannell, Mark Donnelly, Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern and Alex Kendellen provide the forward cover.

Conor Murray and Seán O’Brien are the backline replacements.

Bordeaux out-half Joey Carbery misses the chance to face his former team after his injury-enforced departure in the second half of the win over Ulster.

Munster: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (c); Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Mark Donnelly, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Seán O’Brien, Alex Kendellen.

Meanwhile, Cian Prendergast returns to the Connacht side in one of five changes for the Westerners as they face Racing 92 on Saturday at the Dexcom Stadium in the quarter-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup.

The Connacht captain is joined in the starting XV by Joe Joyce, Denis Buckley, Ben Murphy and Shane Jennings, who each missed the win over Cardiff.

Connacht: Mack Hansen, Shane Jennings, Hugh Gavin, Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy, JJ Hanrahan, Ben Murphy; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Josh Murphy, Joe Joyce, Cian Prendergast (c), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Seamus Jansen.

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Peter Dooley, Oisin Dowling, Paul Boyle, Matthew Devine, Josh Ioane, Cathal Forde.

Watch Leinster v Glasgow Warriors in the Champions Cup on Friday from 7.35pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.

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