Oli Jager handed first Munster start in Leinster derby clash

Leinster have made nine changes to the line-up  which defeated Sale Sharks. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Oli Jager is set for his first Munster start in a beefed up front row also featuring Dave Kilcoyne for the St Stephen’s Day URC derby clash with Leinster at a sold-out Thomond Park next Tuesday night. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Oli Jager is set for his first Munster start in a beefed up front row also featuring Dave Kilcoyne for the St Stephen’s Day URC derby clash with Leinster at a sold-out Thomond Park next Tuesday night.

Munster, looking to rebound from a disappointing opening to their Champions Cup pool campaign over the last two weekends, make four changes from the team which started the 32-24 defeat at Exeter Chiefs last Sunday with tighthead prop Jager set to wear the number three jersey for the first time following two appearances off the bench following his move from the Crusaders last month.

The Irish-qualified front-rower starts alongside hooker Diarmuid Barron, who resumes the captaincy in the absence of lock Tadhg Beirne, who along with scrum-half Conor Murray is rested in line with IRFU player welfare protocols having featured in five World Cup matches for Ireland earlier in the season and five times for their province since returning.

Completing the front row at loosehead prop is another World Cup squad member with Kilcoyne set for his first start of the campaign having made two appearances as a replacement against Leinster and Glasgow at the turn of the month.

Also back in the starting XV is academy lock Edwin Edogbo, recovered from the neck injury which saw him miss both Champions Cup pool games. One of three academy players in the matchday 23 named by head coach Graham Rowntree on Friday, Edogbo partners Gavin Coombes in the second row in front of an unchanged back row in Tom Ahern at blindside flanker, John Hodnett at openside and Jack O’Donoghue at No.8 having recovered from a hip injury which forced him out of the Exeter game midway through the second half last Sunday.

The final change comes in the backline where Simon Zebo comes in at full-back, with Shane Daly switching to the left wing as Sean O’Brien moves to the bench. Calvin Nash completes the back three with the rest of the backline unchanged.

From the bench, academy player Tony Butler will cover fly-half for starter Jack Crowley, with Paddy Patterson the back-up scrum-half to Craig Casey with academy back-rower Brian Gleeson among the forward replacements.

Tabletoppers Leinster, looking to continue an eight-match winning run in both the URC and Champions Cup which began following an opening-round league defeat at Glasgow in October, have made nine changes from the line-up which kicked off the 37-27 pool defeat of Sale Sharks at the RDS last Saturday.

Ireland stars Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien, Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, and co-captain James Ryan are stood down as per IRFU player welfare rules but Leo Cullen welcomes back fly-half Harry Byrne having completed return to play protocols to start at number 10 alongside Jamison Gibson-Park. Outside them, Ciaran Frawley moves from fly-half last week to inside centre in a midfield partnership with captain Garry Ringrose. The back three comprises Hugo Keenan at full-back and Jordan Larmour on the right wing with Rob Russell in for Jimmy O’Brien on the left wing.

Hooker Ronan Kelleher and tighthead Michael Ala’alatoa move off the bench to join Andre Porter in the front row, while Joe McCarthy also switches from replacement to second row in partnership with Ross Molony and there is an all-new back row with Max Deegan and Scott Penny at blindside and openside flanker respectively, and Jack Conan at No.8.

Leinster also welcome back scrum-half Luke McGrath from a knee injury to provide cover for Gibson-Park while lock Jason Jenkins has passed fit to take his place on the bench after failing to finish the win over Sale last Saturday due to a back issue.

Leo Cullen has selected six forwards among his replacements as he looks to complete a league double over Munster following last month’s 21-16 victory at Aviva Stadium, while Leinster are aiming for a fifth successive Thomond Park win having last lost in Limerick in December 2018.

MUNSTER: S Zebo; C Nash, A Frisch, A Nankivell, S Daly; J Crowley, C Casey; D Kilcoyne, D Barron - captain, O Jager; E Edogbo, G Coombes; T Ahern, J Hodnett, J O’Donoghue.

Replacements: E Clarke, J Loughman, S Archer, B Gleeson, A Kendellen, P Patterson, T Butler, S O’Brien.

LEINSTER: H Keenan; J Larmour, G Ringrose – captain, C Frawley, R Russell; H Byrne, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, M Ala’alatoa; R Molony, J McCarthy; M Deegan, S Penny, J Conan.

Replacements: D Sheehan, E Byrne, T Clarkson, J Jenkins, R Baird, L McGrath, L Turner, W Connors.

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)