O’Gara Leads Munster

With squad captain Paul O’Connell listed among the replacements, Ronan O’Gara will lead Munster in their game against Leinster at the RDS tomorrow (6.30pm).

O’Gara will be partnered this time around by Peter Stringer in the only change to the backline that started last time out against Gloucester in the Heineken Cup quarter final.

Up front Tony Buckley comes in for Marcus Horan in the front row, Mick O’Driscoll joins Donncha O’Callaghan in the second row while Anthony Foley’s return to the number 8 jersey sees a back-row reshuffle from last weekend with Denis Leamy moving to openside wing-forward.

Looking forward to the game coach Declan Kidney said, ” Munster Leinster games have always been great occasions and I don’t expect this one to be any different. We have two good sides, we’ll have a full house and two teams with a lot to play for. You couldn’t ask for more than that.  I think the whole occasion will be a great advertisement for the Magners League competition.

“In terms of the selection, we have a good panel and players are always looking for games. With a squad like ours, its easy to make changes, sometimes easier to leave the team the same but we’ve tried to come up with the right mix.”

Munster: D Hurely; D Howlett, L Mafi, R Tipoki, I Dowling; R O’Gara capt, P Stringer; T Buckley, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll; A Quinlan, D leamy, A Foley. Replacements: F Sheahan, F Pucciariello, P O’Connell, N Ronan, T O’Leary, P Warwick, K Lewis.