Having secured the bonus point win and top spot against Leinster, Rassie Erasmus was always going to have to cut his cloth accordingly for trip to Galway.
So it is that the Munster director of rugby makes 11 changes to his starting XV – leading try scorer Ronan O’Mahony, on the wing, the only back retained from defeat of Leinster.
That means a first start of the season for former All Black centre Francis Saili, who will need to impress on his return from injury as he competes for a spot in a competitive midfield that will also feature Jaco Taute until the end of the season.
Keith Earls returns on the right wing, alongside full-back Andrew Conway – whose injury was seemingly not as bad as first feared.
Bill Holland, starting in the back-row, will captain the side in Peter O’Mahony’s absence.
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For their part, Connacht, enduring something of an injury crisis, have made just four changes from the XV beaten by Ulster. Tom McCartney comes in at hooker to captain the side in absence of John Muldoon.
Naulia Dawai will make his first start at Number 8. Nepia Fox-Matamua shifts to blindside flanker to accommodate the welcome return of Jake Heenan who starts at openside, having missed the last two games.
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