Head Coaches Johann van Graan and Dan McFarland has named his side for Satuday's Guinness PRO14 Interpro derby this Saturday at Thomand Park.

Rob Herring will return from Ireland duty to captain Ulster in tomorrow's Pro14 clash against Zebre.

Those newcomers are among five changes by Johann van Graan to the side which lost their last Pro14 game 40-16 to the Cheetahs.

The 22-year-old Tipperary-native, who scored 29 points in 12 Munster appearances, replaces Billy Burns.

It won’t prompt an update from the AA Roadwatch team but the steady traffic of players switching provinces will continue this summer on the back of IRFU performance director David Nucifora’s vision to maximise the playing pool.

Simon Lewis The Munster exit door kept revolving yesterday as exciting young fly-half Bill Johnston left for Ulster in search of more game time and Heineken Cup-winning legend Doug Howlett decided to return to his native New Zealand.

The 22-year-old playmaker played seven times for Munster this season, including four starts, and kicked 29 points.

Three Academy players are included in the squad.

Johann van Graan’s glass remained half-full as he argued Munster are still very much in Guinness PRO14 title contention despite defeat to the Scarlets in Llanelli.

Munster go in search of their eighth win in a row this evening when they take on Scarlets at Parcy Scarlets on an occasion to be marked by Rory Scannell’s 100th appearance for the province.

Rory Scannell is set to be the youngest player to reach 100 caps for Munster when he takes to the field against Scarlets on Saturday.

Munster head coach Johann van Graan reserved special praise for his young players and the experience of scrum-half Alby Mathewson after his team survived a big scare in Newport.

Returning out-half Tyler Bleyendaal will captain Munster in Sunday’s PRO14 encounter against Cheetahs, head coach Johann van Graan confirmed yesterday.

Scrum-half issues further up the chain have impacted on Munster A head coach Peter Malone’s selection for the visit of Dragons A to Cork this afternoon for this Celtic Cup third round game (5:30pm).

Munster’s squad depth ahead of the new campaign was given a stern test by English heavyweights Exeter Chiefs as Johann van Graan’s team was well beaten in Cork last night.

Munster stars Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony have backed summer signing Joey Carbery to be a success at his new province following a move from Leinster.

Cork Constitution’s form in the capital has not been great this season - four losses in six trips - but a repeat of last April’s 19-16 semi-final win at Lansdowne would do nicely when they visit Terenure College this afternoon.

Munster’s love affair with the B&I Cup came to an end yesterday when they bowed out to arch-rivals Leinster at the quarter-final stage of a competition that will cease to exist after this season.

Leinster A 17 Munster A 6: Munster A were stripped of their B&I Cup title by Irish rivals Leinster A at Energia Park, Donnybrook today in a tight match that was in doubt for much of the 80 minutes.

With two man of the match awards to his credit in the RBS Six Nations U20 campaign, Jack O’Sullivan now makes the cut with Munster A for today’s B&I Cup quarter-final against Leinster at Donnybrook.

Munster A duly qualified for the quarter-finals of the B&I Cup with a comprehensive victory over Ospreys at Musgrave Park last night and jumped to the top of Pool 1 as they await the outcome of today’s clash between Bedford Blues and Nottingham.

Munster boss Rassie Erasmus has every confidence Tyler Bleyendaal is about to hit his straps this season but has warned that the number 10 jersey is very much up for grabs.

Ireland U20 head coach Peter Malone is looking forward to having another crack at New Zealand as he prepares to bring his side into battle for this summer’s World Rugby U20 Championships in Georgia, writes Daire Walsh.

The Ireland Under-20s outperformed their English counterparts in a pulsating encounter but just fell short of a final round win at a wind-hit Donnybrook.

Ireland 27 France 22: Not a performance to shout about, but Ireland’s U20s did just about enough to make it three wins from three in this year’s Six Nations at Donnybrook last night.

The Ireland U20s have been dealt a fresh injury blow, as stand-in captain Cillian Gallagher is set to miss out on Friday’s crunch Six Nations encounter with France at Donnybrook.

“Not in the mix”. That was the definitive reaction of Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus at UL yesterday to reports emanating from back home in South Africa he was in the running to become the next Springbok coach.

Bill Johnston made an eagerly anticipated return to rugby last Friday when he featured for Garryowen against Young Munster but the gifted out-half is to be eased back into the provincial and international arenas.

Rassie Erasmus yesterday insisted a six month extension of Jaco Taute’s contract has still not been agreed between Munster, the IRFU and Western Province. The deal must be struck by midnight on Saturday, but it looks a near certainty to be completed.

Munster appear to be moving closer to tying down Springbok centre Jaco Taute for the rest of the season with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus suggesting an extension to his loan deal was a matter of “crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s”.

Fears that Munster fly-half Johnny Holland’s career was in jeopardy were confirmed yesterday when the province announced the 25-year-old had been forced to retire with immediate effect.

Former Leinster centre Collie O’Shea will partner Cian Bohane in Munster’s midfield tomorrow night as Rassie Erasmus begins his search for willing alternatives to the injured Francis Saili.

Rassie Erasmus has given Munster’s young midfield hopefuls two pre-season games to stake their claim to a starting place for the new campaign before looking to bring in a more experienced replacement for long-term injury victim Francis Saili.

New Munster boss Rassie Erasmus has found himself in the midst of an injury crisis at fly-half, with only Ian Keatley apparently ready to start the season.