ALEX Kendellen captains a Munster squad that includes a mixture of Senior, Academy and young members for Friday night’s friendly fixture with Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop (kicking off at 7.45pm.)
Academy hooker Max Clein and out-half Dylan Hicks (both Garryowen) are set for their first senior appearances.
Clein is a former Crescent College Comprehensive student, with Hicks coming up through the ranks at Bantry Bay RFC and Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí.
Academy trio Fionn Gibbons, Shay McCarthy and Ethan Coughlan all start with Clein, Hicks, Mark Donnelly, Daniel Okeke and Tony Butler among the replacements.
Cork Constitution lock Kamil Nowak, who featured against Crusaders, and Shannon RFC back Stephen Kiely, who lined out against Leinster in pre-season, are also on the bench.
Mike Haley starts at full-back after making his return from injury against Scarlets with Gibbons and McCarthy on either wing.
Rory Scannell and Seán O’Brien start together in midfield with O’Brien making his first appearance at centre for Munster. Coughlan and Joey Carbery team up in the half-backs.
Josh Wycherley, Scott Buckley and John Ryan pack down in the front row with Cian Hurley and Fineen Wycherley in the engine room. Hurley made his return to action from a long-term achilles/ankle injury for Garryowen in the AIL last week.
Jack Daly, Kendellen and Jack O’Sullivan complete the starting XV.
Clein, Donnelly and Stephen Archer provide the front-row back-up with Nowak and Okeke completing the forward cover.
Neil Cronin, Butler, Hicks, Colm Hogan and Stephen Kiely are the backline replacements.
Munster: Mike Haley; Fionn Gibbons, Seán O’Brien, Rory Scannell, Shay McCarthy; Joey Carbery, Ethan Coughlan; Josh Wycherley, Scott Buckley, John Ryan; Fineen Wycherley, Cian Hurley; Jack Daly, Alex Kendellen (captain), Jack O’Sullivan.
Replacements: Max Clein, Mark Donnelly, Stephen Archer, Kamil Nowak, Daniel Okeke, Neil Cronin, Tony Butler, Dylan Hicks, Colm Hogan, Stephen Kiely.
