Tadhg Beirne back for Munster's Croke Park clash with Leinster 

Clayton McMillan has made 10 changes for the early-season trip to Jones' Rd.

DERBY DAY: Ethan Coughlan and Tadhg Beirne at Munster training this week. Pic: INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon

Tadhg Beirne returns to lead Munster for a seasonal debut at Croke Park and Edwin Edogbo is set to start for the first time since December 2023 after Clayton McMillan named his side to face URC champions and derby rivals Leinster this Saturday.

Having used 35 players in his first three matchday squads of his maiden campaign as head coach and emerged with a 100 per cent record, McMillan has made 10 changes for his first interprovincial derby since joining from Super Rugby’s Chiefs this summer.

Yet there is still no return from injury for first-choice scrum-half Craig Casey (hamstring), while Munster will also be without tighthead prop Oli Jager, lock/flanker Tom Ahern, and full-back Mike Haley, all of whom are following return-to-play protocols after sustaining head injuries while wing Calvin Nash (shoulder) and hooker Niall Scannell (hand laceration) are also sidelined.

The 10 changes come from last Friday’s bonus-point 20-19 victory over Edinburgh in Cork with Beirne handed a start at blindside flanker after earning the Player of the Series award for the British and Irish Lions in Australia this summer.

Edogbo, 22 makes his first start at lock alongside ever-present Fineen Wycherley as Jean Kleyn moves to the bench with the Cobh forward having returned off the bench last weekend from an Achilles injury sustained against Leinster in December 2023.

Jack O’Donoghue moves from blindside to openside to accommodate Beirne with Brian Gleeson installed at No.8 to replace Gavin Coombes, who also moves to the replacements. Both Gleeson and Edogbo were named to join the Ireland squad for next week’s trip to face the All Blacks in Chicago on November 1.

John Ryan comes in for Jager at tighthead to join retained front-rowers Diarmuid Barron at hooker and loosehead Michael Milne, scorer of two tries against Edinburgh.

In the backline, Jack Crowley returns at fly-half to join scrum-half Ethan Coughlan in half-back pairing which replaces JJ Hanrahan and Paddy Patterson, both of whom are named on the bench. There is a new midfield partnership with last Friday’s man of the match Tom Farrell kept at outside centre to play alongside summer signing Dan Kelly while the back three sees a return at full-back Shane Daly with Thaakir Abrahams recalled to the left wing and Andrew Smith continue on the right after a try-scoring turn in Cork.

Front row cover is provided by hooker Lee Barron, loosehead Jeremy Loughman and Academy tighthead Ronan Foxe while Alex Nankivell completes the bench as outside backs replacement.

MUNSTER: Shane Daly; Andrew Smith, Tom Farrell, Dan Kelly, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley, Ethan Coughlan; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan; Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley; Tadhg Beirne - captain, Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson.

Replacements: Lee Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Foxe, Jean Kleyn, Gavin Coombes, Paddy Patterson, JJ Hanrahan, Alex Nankivell.