Munster Rugby side to face Connacht in Galway is named

The Munster rUGBY team has been named for the United Rugby Championship clash against Connacht at the Sportsground on New Year’s Day, 5.15pm.

Jack O’Donoghue captains the side with seven changes to the team that defeated Castres in the Champions Cup last time out.

20-year-old Greencore Munster Rugby Academy back-row forward Alex Kendellen makes his first Munster start on his fourth appearance for the province following his Champions Cup debut against Castres two weeks ago.

Stephen Archer, Gavin Coombes, Shane Daly, Mike Haley and Fineen Wycherley all start on their first appearances since October with Craig Casey and Kendellen also coming into the starting XV.

Haley is named at full-back with Andrew Conway and Daly on either flank.

Damian de Allende and Chris Farrell continue their centre partnership with Casey and Ben Healy in the half-backs.

Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell and Archer pack down in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Wycherley in the engine room.

The back-row combination of O’Donoghue, Kendellen and Coombes completes the starting XV.

Included among the replacements, Rory Scannell is in line to make his 150th appearance for the province.

MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Shane Daly; Ben Healy, Craig Casey; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (Capt), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Keynan Knox, Thomas Ahern, Jack Daly, Neil Cronin, Jack Crowley, Rory Scannell.

CONNACHT RUGBY: Tiernan O’Halloran; John Porch, Sammy Arnold, Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen; Jack Carty, (Capt), Kieran Marmion; Matthew Burke, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Ultan Dillane, Oisín Dowling; Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Jarrad Butler. Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Tietie Tuimauga, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Eoghan Masterson, Abraham Papali’i, Matthew Devine, Conor Fitzgerald, Tom Farrell.