O’Connell back for Reds as Penney rings the changes
Having played 80 minutes of Test rugby against both Australia and New Zealand in successive weeks, Munster head coach Rob Penney had expected to be without the talismanic lock until next week’s Heineken Cup home pool game against Perpignan. But after consultation with the IRFU under the governing body’s player management programme, it was decided O’Connell would be made available.
The RaboDirect Pro12 leaders, on a four-match winning run, will also give a debut to South African wing Gerhard van den Heever, who has recovered from the groin injury and there is a further boost with the inclusion at outside centre of Ireland back Keith Earls, who will be making his first start in five weeks having missed the November Tests with tendonitis in his knee.
