Hanrahan granted first Munster start in Zebre clash

Five days after making his Heineken Cup debut off the bench for Munster in the game against Edinburgh, JJ Hanrahan will return to Thomond Park Stadium to make his first senior start when Italian side Zebre visit tomorrow night (7.45pm).

The 20-year-old has been named at inside centre and will partner Casey Laulala in a Munster starting XV that shows nine changes from the one that started last Sunday.

One of those changes is positional, Donnacha Ryan moving from blindside to lock in place of Paul O'Connell, while five others, including Hanrahan, were involved off the bench last weekend.

Felix Jones starts ahead of Denis Hurley at full-back while Duncan Williams has been entrusted with scrum-half responsibilities over Conor Murray.

Captain Doug Howlett has been omitted from the match day squad with Luke O’Dea returning to the wing after an ankle injury, Johne Murphy is named on the bench.

In the pack, Stephen Archer is in ahead of BJ Botha and Paddy Butler now wears the number 8 jersey with Peter O'Mahony moving to blindside flanker.

Zebre have lost all five of their PRO12 games this season, picking up just one losing bonus point in the process.

Munster: F Jones; L O'Dea, C Laulala, JJ Hanrahan, S Zebo; I Keatley, D Williams; D Kilcoyne, M Sherry, S Archer; D O'Callaghan, D Ryan; D O'Callaghan, P O'Mahony, P Butler.

Replacements: D Varley, M Horan, BJ Botha; B Holland, T O'Donnell; C Murray, J Murphy, D Hurley.