MUNSTER have unveiled its team for Saturday’s attractive fixture with an Argentina XV at Thomond Park, 5pm.
Jack O’Donoghue leads the side with 11 changes to the starting XV that beat Connacht in the URC at the same venue last weekend.
Josh Wycherley and Academy tighthead Ronan Foxe both come into the front row where they are joined by Lee Barron. It’s a first start for Foxe.
It’s an all-new second-row pairing of Conor Ryan and Evan O’Connell, with Ryan making his first appearance for Munster and O’Connell earning his first start of the season.
There is just one change to the back row as O’Donoghue and Gavin Coombes keep their places. Ruadhán Quinn comes into the side to join the duo at openside.
There is a new half-back pairing with Paddy Patterson and Tony Butler lining out together while the same applies in the centre with Seán O’Brien taking up the 12 shirt with Fionn Gibbons, making his first Munster start, lining out at outside centre.
Diarmuid Kilgallen keeps his spot on the right wing after he made a successful return from injury last weekend while Shay McCarthy takes up his place on the left wing and Mike Haley returns to the fray at full-back.
On the injury front, John Hodnett (foot), Calvin Nash (shoulder), Conor Bartley (hamstring), Diamuid Barron (neck) and Alex Kendellen (ankle) are all expected to be back on team duty by the end of November, while Brian Gleeson (elbow) and Andrew Smith (knee/hamstring) will both be sidelined for up to ten weeks.
Munster: Mike Haley; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Fionn Gibbons, Seán O’Brien, Shay McCarthy; Tony Butler, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Lee Barron, Ronan Foxe; Conor Ryan, Evan O’Connell; Jack O’Donoghue, captain, Ruadhán Quinn, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Max Clein, Mark Donnelly, Kieran Ryan, Fineen Wycherley, Luke Murphy, Jake O’Riordan, JJ Hanrahan, Ben O’Connor.