Alex Kendellen to make first Munster start in Connacht derby

Munster's Alex Kendellen celebrates after beating Castres. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Alex Kendellen will make his first Munster start in the URC derby with Connacht on New Year's Day (5.15pm).

The Corkonian starts at openside flanker on his fourth Munster appearance, after substitute appearances against the Scarlets (twice) and Castres, his Champions Cup debut.

Jack O’Donoghue captains a side that shows seven changes from the team that defeated Castres last time out, joining Kendellen and Gavin Coombes in the back row.

Coombes, Stephen Archer, Shane Daly, Mike Haley, and Fineen Wycherley all start on their first appearances since October, with Craig Casey and Kendellen also coming into the starting XV.

Haley is named at full-back with Andrew Conway and Daly on either flank.

Damian de Allende and Chris Farrell continue their centre partnership with Casey and Ben Healy in the half-backs.

Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, and Archer pack down in the front row, with Jean Kleyn and Wycherley in the engine room.

Included among the replacements, Rory Scannell is in line to make his 150th appearance for the province.

Hosts Connacht make two changes from their bonus-point loss to Leicester Tigers two weeks ago, with URC top try-scorer Mack Hansen making a welcome return from injury to start on the wing for the first time in a month. The other change is in the second row where Oisín Dowling comes into the starting side.

Hansen forms a back three with winger John Porch and full-back Tiernan O’Halloran, while internationals Kieran Marmion, captain Jack Carty, Bundee Aki, and Sammy Arnold make up the half-back and centre pairings respectively.

The front row is again made up of Matthew Burke, Dave Heffernan, and Finlay Bealham, and Ultan Dillane partners Dowling in the second row. Flankers Cian Prendergast and Conor Oliver and number 8 Jarrad Butler complete the pack.

Included on the bench is academy scrum-half Matthew Devine, with the Ballinasloe RFC man named in a Connacht matchday squad for the first time.

Munster: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Shane Daly; Ben Healy, Craig Casey; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (C), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements:

Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Keynan Knox, Thomas Ahern, Jack Daly, Neil Cronin, Jack Crowley, Rory Scannell.

Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran; John Porch, Sammy Arnold, Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen; Jack Carty (C), Kieran Marmion; Matthew Burke, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Ultan Dillane, Oisín Dowling; Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Jarrad Butler.

Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Tietie Tuimauga, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Eoghan Masterson, Abraham Papali’i, Matthew Devine, Conor Fitzgerald, Tom Farrell.