Munster Rugby seek New Year's cheer against Connacht in Galway

MUNSTER Rugby will look to get their URC campaign back on track on New Year's Day when travelling to Galway to face Connacht at the Sportsground, 3pm, live TG4, Premier Sports.

Eighth-placed Munster suffered defeat in the first of their two interprovincial fixtures in the URC over the Festive period when going down 3-9 to great rivals Leinster at a 'sold-out' Thomond Park on St Stephen's Day.

Munster will be seeking their first win away from home in any competition since beating the Stormers in last year’s final in Cape Town in May when travelling to Galway today.

The URC holders have been defeated on their last two visits to the Sportsground. However, Connacht have slipped to three straight defeats in the BKT United Rugby Championship.

Munster have made seven changes in personnel from the side that lost to Leinster for the New Year's trip to the West.

Hooker Eoghan Clarke will make his first start for Munster in the game.

Tadhg Beirne returns to captain the side with Fineen Wycherley back after a shoulder injury as Academy out-half Tony Butler, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell and Jeremy Loughman also slot into the starting XV.

There is a positional switch for Gavin Coombes as he moves into the back row.

Looking ahead to the game, Munster back-row Jack O'Donoghue said he was delighted that Munster would get a chance to quickly bounce back from their St Stephen's Day defeat to Leinster.

Jack O'Donoghue said: “I think the shorter turnaround the better after a loss certainly. The last thing you want to be doing is having a loss hanging over you.

“We will obviously review it (Leinster defeat), we'll see where we could have done better and where we could have took a hold of the game and potentially taken the lead but, yeah, really looking forward to getting back to work now and looking forward to New Year's Day against Connacht.

MUNSTER RUGBY: Simon Zebo; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Tony Butler, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Eoghan Clarke, Oli Jager; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (Capt); Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Scott Buckley, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Jack O'Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Paddy Patterson, Seán O'Brien, Shay McCarthy.

CONNACHT RUGBY: Mack Hansen, Byron Ralston, Cathal Forde, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton, JJ Hanrahan, Caolin Blade (capt), Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Darragh Murray, Joe Joyce, Cian Prendergast, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Jarrad Butler. Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Denis Buckley, Jack Aungier, Niall Murray, Oisín Dowling, Michael McDonald, Jack Carty, Conor Oliver.

REFEREE: Chris Busby (IRFU)