Kidney gives nod to Irish

Declan Kidney has made a welcome decision for Irish rugby by selecting loose-head prop Darragh Hurley ahead of Federico Pucciariello on the Munster side against Cardiff Blues in the Heineken Cup at Thomond Park on Saturday.

Also, Barry Murphy has received a vote of confidence in place of Lifeimi Mafi, who has also been placed on the bench. All Black Christian Cullen does not make the replacements.

A home win will go a long way to pushing Munster into the quarter-finals.

MUNSTER (v Cardiff Blues): S Payne; J Kelly, B Murphy, T Halstead, I Dowling; R O'Gara, P Stringer; D Hurley, F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt), A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

Replacements: A Kyriacou, F Pucciariello, C Wyatt, J O'Sullivan, T O'Leary, J Manning, L Mafi.