Penney Selects for Season Opener

Rob Penney introduces a number of new faces for tomorrow’s season opener against La Rochelle (7.30).

They include James Downey and Sean Dougal who joined this year from Northampton Saints and Rotherham Titans respectively. Academy player Brian Hayes starts after impressing in Munster's run to the British & Irish Cup title last season, and Young Munster hooker Ger Slattery is also named, after training with the squad in the absence of Damien Varley, Mike Sherry and Sean Henry.

There is also a place in the starting XV for James Coughlan who missed the end of last season with a hand injury and Doug Howlett who has been out of action since early December.

Team Manager Niall O'Donovan explaining why there has been no bench named said. "It's our intention, after agreement with La Rochelle, to give each of those who have travelled some game time and to that end we expect to play the game in a first 40 minute then 2×20 minute second half periods."

Munster: D Hurley; D Howlett, D Barnes, J Downey, L O'Dea; I Keatley, D Williams; D Kilcoyne, G Slattery, S Archer; B Holland, B Hayes; T O'Donnell, S Dougall, J Coughlan.

Match updates will be available online from here.

Squad training in sunny La Rochelle