Carbery starts in strong Leinster team, McMillan gives O'Shea Munster No 10 nod once more 

Leo Cullen has named an all-Irish international XV, including a first start at No.8 for captain Dan Sheehan.

Charlie O'Shea of Munster makes a break during the Investec Champions Cup Round 1 match between Munster and Racing 92. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

Leinster’s quest for vengeance after a derby defeat to Munster at Croke Park last season is writ large in Leo Cullen’s team for this Saturday’s URC rematch at Aviva Stadium with the head coach naming an all-Irish international XV, including a first start at No.8 for captain Dan Sheehan.

Former Munster fly-half Joey Carbery will start as Leinster’s number 10 having returned to his home province from Bordeaux this summer and was the only player in Cullen’s side unveiled on Thursday not named in Ireland’s Nations Championship Series squad 24 hours earlier.

Munster boss Clayton McMillan will continue with rookie fly-half Charlie O’Shea for the 20-year-old’s fifth appearance of the new season following a Champions Cup debut start in the win over Racing 92. 

The academy first year partners scrum-half Craig Casey in the half-backs, the number nine one of only two Munstermen named in Andy Farrell’s Ireland squad alongside club captain Tadhg Beirne who starts in the second row alongside Fineen Wycherley.

There are seven changes from the 33-25 win over Racing in Cork last Saturday night, with Shane Daly named on the left wing as Sean O’Brien moves from number 11 to outside centre for his 50th Munster appearance, and Alex Nankivell switches from 13 to inside centre as Dan Kelly drops out of the matchday 23.

Josh Wycherley starts at loosehead prop in the absence of injured duo Jeremy Loughman and Michael Milne, having replaced Loughman in Cork, with another of last weekend’s replacements, Kieran Brookes, starting at tighthead on the other side of retained hooker Marnus van der Merwe.

It is also all change in the back row with Jack O’Donoghue and Alex Kendellen starting on the flanks and Gavin Coombes named at No.8.

Head coach McMillan reverts to five forwards and three backs for his replacements this weekend having fielded a 6:2 split at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. 

Academy centre Gordon Wood providing outside back cover having impressed in a similar role in the round two win over the Bulls at Thomond Park on October 3 as Ben O’Donovan and JJ Hanrahan continue as half-back replacements. 

Sean Edogbo and Brian Gleeson move from back-row starters last Saturday to bench roles in Dublin while Max Clein, Mark Donnelly, and Michael Ala’alatoa off Munster’s front-row cover.

McMillan’s squad has a win, draw and a loss to its name from the opening URC rounds before beating European pool rivals Racing last time out on the 10th anniversary of predecessor Anthony Foley’s death. The New Zealander is expecting the challenges to increase on Saturday at the Aviva.

“It has been an intense start to the season, and the team have shown lots of character against quality sides,” McMillan said.

“There is plenty of scope for us to improve, and we have to if we want to be there at the business end of the season and become the team we know we can be.

“Last week was a very emotional one for obvious reasons. This week brings a very different challenge, but we look forward to testing ourselves against one of the most experienced and cohesive sides in world rugby in their own backyard.” 

Defending URC champions Leinster give a seasonal debut to Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park alongside Carbery, who makes his first start having come off the bench in the European pool win at Clermont last Saturday.

The half-backs changes are two of four from last weekend in France with Jamie Osborne replacing Garry Ringrose at outside centre alongside Robbie Henshaw, while Ronan Kelleher is promoted from bench to starting hooker as Sheehan switches from front row to the back at No.8 to cover the injury absences of club captain Caelan Doris and Jack Conan, who failed to finish the game at Stade Marcel-Michelin due to a shoulder issue.

Last weekend’s starting fly-half Sam Prendergast is rested with Caspar Gabriel covering number 10.

Leinster Rugby attack coach Tyler Bleyendaal, the former Munster fly-half is expecting a strong challenge from his old team.

“I would say (Munster are in) a good place,” the Kiwi said. “They're very hard to beat, they're having good wins, they're making contests out of all their matches. They've just got a really good mix of physicality and ball skills, they use the ball as well. Maybe their hand is being forced but there's a bit of youth being injected in there too which brings a bit of a different dynamic."

LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Tommy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien; Joey Carbery, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Dan Sheehan - captain.

Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Alex Usanov, Thomas Clarkson, Conor O’Tighearnaigh, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Caspar Gabriel, Charlie Tector.

MUNSTER: Ben O’Connor; Shay McCarthy, Seán O’Brien, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Charlie O’Shea, Craig Casey; Josh Wycherley, Marnus van der Merwe, Kieran Brookes; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne – captain; Jack O’Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Max Clein, Mark Donnelly, Michael Ala’alatoa, Seán Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ben O’Donovan, JJ Hanrahan, Gordon Wood.