The provinces face off at Thomond on Friday night
The internationals are done for the year so it is now the time for the provincial teams to shine again and this weekend sees one of the big interpro games up for decision as Ulster travel to Thomond for a Friday night meting with Munster in the Guinness Pro 12.
The big news for the home side is that new South African centre Pat Howard should make his debut while three returning Irish representatives, Dave Kilcoyne, Tommy O’Donnell and Felix Jones, are named on the bench.
MUNSTER (v Ulster): JJ Hanrahan; Gerhard van den Heever, Pat Howard, Denis Hurley, Ronan O’Mahony; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; John Ryan, Duncan Casey, BJ Botha, Donncha O’Callaghan (capt), Billy Holland, Robin Copeland, Paddy Butler, CJ Stander
Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Dave Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Tommy O’Donnell, Sean Dougall, Neil Cronin, Andrew Smith, Felix Jones.
Meanwhile, Ulster have named Rory Best to start in their front row for the game while Ian Humphreys steps in for the injured Paddy Jackson.
ULSTER (v Munster): S Olding; L Ludik, D Cave, S McCloskey C Gilroy, I Humphreys, P Marshall; (1-8): C Black, R Best (Capt), W Herbst, A O’Connor, F vd Merwe, R Wilson, S Reidy, N Williams
Replacements: R Herring, A Warwick, D Fitzpatrick, L Stevenson, R Diack, M Heaney, M Allen, P Nelson.
