Three changes for Munster boss Penney

Dave Kilcoyne, BJ Botha and Donncha O’Callaghan represent the three changes Rob Penney has made for his side’s visit to Ravenhill on Friday for their RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Ulster (7.05pm).

The changes mean Dave Foley and Stephen Archer drop to the replacements bench while Wian du Preez falls out of the match day squad with Marcus Horan providing front row cover.

Dave O’Callaghan joins Sean Dougall and James Coughlan in an unchanged back row while the second row pairing of Donncha O’Callaghan and Billy Holland is restored.

Openside flanker Niall Ronan, who has been out of action since January with cruciate ligament damage, is on the verge of making his full team return having been named in the Munster A team to face Ulster Ravens on Friday.

Despite the return of international trio Ronan O’Gara, Conor Murray and Keith Earls, Penney hasn’t seen fit to change his backline selection with all three taking their place among the substitutes.

Winger Johne Murphy is recovering after under-going knee scope surgery yesterday but management have yet to reveal when the former Leicester man is likely to be back in action.

Munster: D Hurley; D Howlett (c), C Laulala, J Downey, L O’Dea; I Keatley, D Williams; D Kilcoyne, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O’Callaghan, B Holland; D O’Callaghan, S Dougall, J Coughlan.

Replacements: M Sherry, M Horan, S Archer, D Foley, T O’Donnell, C Murray, R O’Gara, K Earls.