O'Gara to start in Sale clash

Ronan O'Gara has today been named in the Munster side to play Sale Sharks in the crucial Heineken Cup match at Thomond Park on Friday evening.

Ronan O'Gara has today been named in the Munster side to play Sale Sharks in the crucial Heineken Cup match at Thomond Park tomorrow evening.

There was some trepidation over the fitness of O'Gara (hamstring) and that of Paul Warwick (eye) but have both been passed to play.

Keith Earls comes into the centre in the enforced absence of Rua Tipoki.

Paul O'Connell will captain the side, with many experienced members of the Munster pack named in the side.

MUNSTER (v Sale Sharks): P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, I Dowling, R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt), A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

Replacements: D Fogarty, F Pucciariello, D Ryan, N Ronan, P Stringer, B Murphy, D Hurley.

SALE SHARKS (v Munster): Mark Cueto, Chris Bell, Andy Tuilagi, Luke McAlister, David Doherty, Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth, Lionel Faure, Marc Jones, Eifion Roberts, Sebastien Chabal, Dean Schofield, Chris Jones, Neil Briggs, JM Fernandez Lobbe (Captain).

Replacements: Stuart Turner, Andrew Sheridan, Brent Cockbain, Carl Fearns, Dwayne Peel, Rudi Keil, Mathew Tait.