Tokula Makes His Debut

On the day that Mick O’Driscoll makes his 200th appearance for Munster, Save Tokula will make his first, in the side that takes on Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade (Saturday 6.30).

With Danny Barnes out through injury, Tokula, who arrived in Cork last Sunday week, lines out in the centre alongside Lifeimi Mafi, in a backline that shows just two changes in personnel from last weekend.

Simon Zebo's involvement with the national squad all week renders him unusable so Luke O'Dea comes into the starting XV in his place.

Up front, only the back-row remains the same.

Dave Foley replaces Billy Holland at lock while Denis Fogarty replaces Damien Varley – who was also involved in Carton – and Stephen Archer starts in place of BJ Botha.

Meanwhile, Dragons captain Luke Charteris is fit and named in the Dragons squad for the first time since returning from the Rugby World Cup with Wales.

South African international winger Tonderai Chavhanga is also back from injury (rib) sustained against the Ospreys in early January. Chavhanga takes Adam Hughes’ place in the squad after the facial injury he picked up in last week’s win in Aironi.

Flanker Darren Waters returns to the squad following the knock he took in the win over Edinburgh with Rhys Jenkins and Royce Cadman missing out while Wales U20 scrum half Jonathan Evans remains with squad as injury rules out Joe Bedford (shoulder).

Munster: F Jones; L O'Dea, S Tokula, L Mafi, J Murphy; I Keatley, T O'Leary; M Horan, D Fogarty, S Archer; D Foley, M O'Driscoll capt; Dave O'Callaghan, T O'Donnell, J Coughlan. Replacements: Mike Sherry, W du Preez, BJ Botha, B Holland, P Butler, D Williams, S Deasy, Denis Hurley.