Seven Changes For Italian Trip

With an international the same day and the British & Cup last Tuesday night, Munster are forced to ring the changes for Sunday’s Magners League encounter with Aironi Rugby at Stadio Zaffanella (2pm local).

Tony McGahan makes seven, three positional, to his starting XV ahead of a strong looking bench that sees the return from injury of the 208 times capped Alan Quinlan.

Quinlan dislocated an elbow in the game against Connacht at the end of December and returns to a replacement bench that includes the experienced Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan and Doug Howlett.

Denis Leamy is required in Scotland and so the pack shows just one change in personnel with Ian Nagle coming into the second row to partner Mick O'Driscoll and Donnacha Ryan slipping into the back row at blindside.

The half-back pairing from the Edinburgh game of O'Gara and Stringer will also be in Edinburgh so Paul Warwick switches from centre to 10 and will be served by Duncan Williams. Sam Tuitupou resumes at inside centre and Denis Hurley switches to the wing berth vacated by Howlett to facilitate the introduction of former U20 International wing Simon Zebo.

Munster: J Murphy, D Hurley, L Mafi, S Tuitupou, S Zebo, P Warwick, D Williams, W du Preez, D Varley, T Buckley, I Nagle, M O'Driscoll capt, D Ryan, T O'Donnell, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, B Holland, A Quinlan, C Murray, D Cusack, D Howlett.