Munster make six changes for their Champions Cup clash with Bayonne

Leinster have named nine players who started the Champions Cup Final to face Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle.

CAPTAIN: Tadhg Beirne will captain Munster for their Champions Cup game against Bayonne. Pic:  ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Munster Head Coach Graham Rowntree has made six changes to his starting XV who defeated Glasgow Warriors last weekend for their Champions Cup clash against Bayonne on Saturday in Thomond Park (k/o 5.30pm).

Tadhg Beirne will captain the side with Rowntree including three Academy players in the squad with first year winger Shay McCarthy starting on his Champions Cup debut.

Rory Scannell, Conor Murray, Scott Buckley, John Ryan and Fineen Wycherley coming into the starting XV.

Calvin Nash will start at full back for Munster for the first time with Tom Ahern making his first Champions Cup start and Alex Nankivell making his Champions Cup debut.

Nash is joined by wingers McCarthy and Seàn O'Brien who will also make his first Champions Cup appearance.

Scannell and Nankivell partner in midfield with Murray and Jack Crowley in the half-backs.

Jermey Loughman, Buckley and John Ryan make up the front row with Wycherley partnering Beirne in the second row.

Ahern, John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes make up the back row for the third consecutive games.

Former Academy hooker Eoghan Clarke, who recently rejoined the province on a short-term contract, is among the replacements and in line to make his Munster debut.

Academy out-half Tony Butler and full-back/winger Ben O'Connor are on the bench with O'Connor set to make his Champions Cup debut.

Jack O'Donoghue has recovered from an ankle injury and is named in the replacements. 

Academy lock Edwin Edogbo, Diarmuid Barron, Shane Daly and Oli Jager are unavailable for selection due to minor injuries. Patrick Campbell has an ankle injury and Simon Zebo has a knee injury which keeps both out of selection.

Meanwhile Leinster Head Coach Leo Cullen has named nine of the the team which started last season's Champions Cup Final for their trip to France where they face Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle on Sunday (k/o 3.15pm Irish time).

Garry Ringrose and James Ryan will co-captain the team for the first time in European Competition  with Dan Sheehan in line to make his 50th appearance for Leinster.

Hugo Keegan starts in full back with Jordan Larmour and Jimmy O'Brien on the wings. 

Ringrose will be partnered by Robbie Henshaw in midfield with Harry Byrne and Jamison Gibson-Park completing the backline.

Byrne will make his first start in the Champions Cup having made seven appearances from the bench in the competition.

Sheehan is joined in the front row by Andrew Porter and Michael Ala'alatoa. Ryan will partner Joe McCarthy in the second row for the first time in an away European match.

Ryan Baird moves to the back-row, after starting in the second row last week, and is joined by Will Connors and Caelan Doris. This will be Connors first European appearance in over three years.

Prop Thomas Clarkson and scrum-half Ben Murphy are in line to make their Champions Cup debuts off the bench.

Elsewhere, Ulster have named their side to play Bath at The Rec on Saturday (k/o 3.15pm). Club captain Iain Henderson is back in the starting XV after a short term injury. He will partner Alan O'Connor in an experience second row. 

The front row remains unchanged from last weeks defeat to Edinburgh with World Cup winning Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff making his European debut for Ulster being joined by hooker Tom Stewart and tighthead prop Tom O'Toole.

Dave Ewers returns to the starting XV and joins Nick Timoney and Academy forward James McNabney in the back row.

Nathan Doak and Billy Burns form the half-back partnership with Stuart McCloskey and James Hume making up the midfield. Jacob Stockdale will start on the left wing with Rob Baloucoune on the right wing. Stewart Moore will start at full back.

Head Coach Dan McFarland has gone for a 5:3 split on the bench with a blend of experience and youth. Rob Herring returns to the match day 23 after injury kept him out of the Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh games.

Jake Flannery and Mike Lowry have also recovered from their injuries to take their spot amongst the replacements. 

MUNSTER (against Bayonne): C Nash; S McCarthy, A Nankivell, R Scannell, S O’Brien; J Crowley, C Murray; J Loughman, S Buckley, J Ryan; F Wycherley, T Beirne (C); T Ahern, J Hodnett, G Coombes.

Replacements: E Clarke, J Wycherley, S Archer, J O’Donoghue, A Kendellen, C Casey, T Butler, B O’Connor.

LEINSTER (against La Rochelle): H Keenan, J Larmour, G Ringrose (co-captain), R Henshaw, J O'Brien, H Byrne, J Gibson-Park, A Porter, D Sheehan, M Ala'alatoa, J McCarthy, J Ryan (co-captain), R Baird, W Connors, C Doris.

Replacements: R Kelleher, C Healy, T Clarkson, J Jenkins, J van der Flier, B Murphy, C Frawley, C Ngatai

ULSTER (against Bath): S Moore, R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale, B Burns, N Doak, S Kitshoff, T Stewart, T O'Toole, A O'Connor, I Henderson (c), D Ewers, N Timoney, J McNabney.

Replacements: R Herring, A Warwick, M Moore, K Treadwell, M Rea, J Cooney, J Flannery, M Lowry.