Young centre Barry Murphy will make his first start of the season for Munster when Edinburgh visit Thomond Park on Friday.
MAGNERS LEAGUE: Friday, October 13
MUNSTER v EDINBURGH, Thomond Park, 7.30pm (deferred coverage Setanta Sports)
Team News: Barry Murphy is back in the Munster starting line-up after his long battle back from a broken leg.
Murphy will start at outside centre against Edinburgh, partnering Trevor Halstead in midfield. Also returning from injury is full-back Shaun Payne while Denis Leamy, who came on as a replacement for Alan Quinlan during the 27-20 defeat to Leinster last week, retains the number six jersey in the back row.
Ireland prop John Hayes, who has recovered from an ankle injury, makes his first appearance in a Munster matchday 22 this season.
Coach Declan Kidney will wait until before kick-off to decide on his back line replacements with the quartet of Brian O'Meara, John Kelly, Eoghan Hickey and newcomer Diogo Mateus, the 26-year-old Portuguese centre, vying for the three available berths.
Flanker Quinlan (hamstring) could also be included on the bench, with Tim McGann on standby.
Edinburgh, meanwhile, have made four changes to the team that took to the field for the 14-9 win over Glasgow on September 29.
Coach Lynn Howells has slotted Hugo Southwell, who came off the bench to score the all-important try against the Warriors, in at full-back. David Callam comes in at number eight for Allister Hogg, who is nursing an eblow injury.
The other alterations see Alan MacDonald drafted in for his first league outing of the season, at openside flanker, while former Ulster lock Matt Mustchin has been restored to the second row.
Munster: Shaun Payne; Tomas O'Leary, Barry Murphy, Trevor Halstead, Ian Dowling; Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer; Marcus Horan, Frankie Sheahan, Federico Pucciariello, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell (capt), Denis Leamy, David Wallace, Anthony Foley.
Replacements (from): Andy Kyriacou, John Hayes, Mick O'Driscoll, Alan Quinlan/Tim McGann, Brian O'Meara/John Kelly/Eoghan Hickey/Diogo Mateus (three from four).
Edinburgh: Hugo Southwell; Chris Paterson (capt), Marcus Di Rollo, Rob Dewey, Simon Webster; Phil Godman, Mike Blair; Allan Jacobsen, Dougie Hall, Alasdair Dickinson, Matt Mustchin, Scott Murray, Alasdair Strokosch, Alan MacDonald, David Callam.
Replacements: Andrew Kelly, Craig Smith, Dave Hewett, Fergus Pringle, Greig Laidlaw, Simon Cross, Duncan Hodge.
Referee: Phil Fear (Wales)
Touch Judges: Colin Stanley, Ken Henley-Willis (both Ireland)
PREVIOUS LEAGUE MEETINGS:
August 2001 - Edinburgh 22 Munster 25, Myreside
September 2002 - Edinburgh 21 Munster 28, Meadowbank
November 2003 - Edinburgh 20 Munster 9, Meadowbank
April 2004 - Munster 17 Edinburgh 28, Musgrave Park
November 2004 - Edinburgh 0 Munster 11, Murrayfield
April 2005 - Munster 30 Edinburgh 20, Thomond Park
January 2006 - Munster 18 Edinburgh 17, Murrayfield
April 2006 - Munster 36 Edinburgh 15, Thomond Park
MATCH FACTS:
- Munster will be happy to return home following their 27-20 loss at the hands of their provincial rivals Leinster last Friday. They are secure in the knowledge that they have won nine of their last ten matches at home in all competitions since last December
- Edinburgh are unbeaten in their last four games since losing 17-11 to the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium on September 2. The Scottish capital side are also undefeated in their last three matches against the Irish provinces
- Munster have won the last five matches they have played against Edinburgh in both league and cup. The Scots' last success against Munster was a 28-17 victory in Cork in April 2004
- Edinburgh, who currently sit fourth in the league table, have had their captain Chris Paterson in top-scoring form this season. The winger has tallied up 53 points (1 try, 3 conversions and 14 penalties) but has a relatively poor kicking success rate of 68% (17 successes from 25 kicks)
- Munster out-half Ronan O'Gara has slotted over 8 of his 10 kicks in the Magners League to date for an 80% kicking rate. Flanker David Wallace has bagged two tries so far for Munster, including one in first half injury-time against Leinster last week
- South African Shaun Payne has been a regular scorer in this fixture in recent seasons - he has dotted down three tries for Munster in their last five league outings against Edinburgh.
Scotland lock Scott Murray bagged a try in both of Edinburgh's games against Munster last season - the men in red did the double over Murray's side, rounding off their campaign with a six-try 36-15 triumph at Thomond Park
