O’Connell Heads List Of Returning Munster Players

With three players who started against Ulster ruled out through injury and the returning Ireland internationals available for selection, Munster once again ring the changes for the RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Benetton Treviso at Thomond Park on Saturday (kick-off 8.15pm).

In all, head coach Tony McGahan has made ten changes to the starting line-up he selected for the derby match against Ulster.

One of the alterations is a positional switch with Johne Murphy moving wings to accommodate the inclusion of Simon Zebo who was rested last time out.

Murphy, the scorer of Munster’s final try in Belfast, takes over from Luke O’Dea who also touched down against Ulster but sustained an ankle injury which ruled him out of consideration for the Benetton Treviso game.

Otherwise, just five players – Denis Hurley, Lifeimi Mafi, Wian du Preez, Damien Varley and James Coughlan – have retained their places from the interprovincial tie.

Niall Ronan returns to the openside flanker berth where Tommy O’Donnell started last time out but ended with a knee injury.

Peter O’Mahony, who had been nursing a jaw injury, also resumes in the number 6 jersey at the expense of David O’Callaghan.

O’Callaghan gave another good account of himself at Ravenhill last weekend and looks to have been a very shrewd inclusion by McGahan in Munster’s Heineken Cup squad.

MUNSTER (v Benetton Treviso): Denis Hurley; Johne Murphy, Keith Earls, Lifeimi Mafi, Simon Zebo; Ronan O’Gara, Conor Murray; Wian du Preez, Damien Varley, BJ Botha, Donnacha Ryan, Paul O’Connell (capt), Peter O’Mahony, Niall Ronan, James Coughlan.

Replacements: Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan, Stephen Archer, Donncha O’Callaghan, Billy Holland, Tomas O’Leary, Ian Keatley, Danny Barnes.