Leinster, Munster and Connacht team news for URC round 14 games
Leinster ring the changes in SA, where Munster are rolling out the big guns and Finlay Bealham hits the 200 mark in Galway
Only two of the starters from last week's Champions Cup quarter-final victory are in the line-up for Leinster's URC clash with the Lions in Johannesburg (Saturday 2pm Irish time).
As expected, Leo Cullen has shuffled the deck with so many of his frontliners given the week off back in Dublin before returning next week to begin preparations for the May 4 semi-final in Europe against Northampton Saints.
With a five-point advantage at the top of the table, Leinster can afford to have just seven of those involved in last weekend's matchday 23 in the panel for the Emirates Airlines Park encounter.
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Ciarán Frawley, who is retained at full-back, and second row Jason Jenkins are the only survivors from last week's team, while of those who came off the bench at the Aviva Stadium, Harry Byrne starts at out-half this week and Luke McGrath is at scrum-half.
Michael Milne, Michael Ala'alatoa and Ross Molony are again in reserve.
There is good news for Leinster in the return of Cian Healy to the side after injury kept him out against La Rochelle, while Cormac Foley also returns to the bench after injury.
Cullen will emphasise that this is an opportunity for others to impress, no more so than Charlie Ngatai, who makes his long-awaited return from a calf injury that he suffered in December.
Ngatai slots in at centre alongside Liam Turner, who has impressed in his limited appearances this term.
Diarmuid Mangan makes his first start for Leinster in a back row that includes Scott Penny and Max Deegan.
Leinster: Frawley, Russell, Turner, Ngatai, A Osborne, H Byrne, McGrath; Healy, Barron, Clarkson, Deeny, Jenkins, Mangan, Penny (C), Deegan; McKee, Milne, Ala'alatoa, Molony, Ruddock, Foley, Prendergast, Brownlee.
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Peter O'Mahony is in the Munster line-up fresh from signing on with the Reds for another year as Graham Rowntree rolls out the big guns in Pretoria.
With the province's URC title defence now the sole focus, Rowntree has made six changes to the side that exited the Champions Cup at the last 16 stage for Saturday's URC meeting with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld (4.05pm Irish time).
O'Mahony is joined by RG Snyman, Calvin Nash and Shane Daly, with all three missing the Franklin's Gardens loss through injury or illness, while Conor Murray, Alex Kendellen and Jack O’Donoghue also return.
O’Donoghue makes his first start since New Year’s Day, when he was injured against Connacht.
Nash and Daly's availability to fill the wing positions means that Simon Zebo switches to full back, while, remarkably, Snyman and captain Tadhg Beirne will start a game for the first time.
Oli Jager, who is fit again after a knee injury, is on the bench - while Gavin Coombes drops onto the replacement list for the first time this season, having previously started in every game.
Munster: Zebo, Nash, Frisch, Nankivell, Daly, Crowley, Murray; Loughman, N Scannell, Archer, Snyman, Beirne (C), O’Mahony, Kendellen, O’Donoghue. Replacements: Clarke, J Wycherley, Jager, Ahern, G Coombes, Casey, Carbery, Hodnett.
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Pete Wilkins says that Connacht have five to stay alive in the URC as he paid tribute to Finlay Bealham ahead of the Ireland forward's 200th appearance for the province.
Fresh from being knocked out of the Challenge Cup at the quarter-final stage, the westerners are just outside of the eight play-off places that will extend their season beyond the end of the regular series of games.
Victory over Zebre at the Dexcom Stadium (Saturday 7.35pm) is an absolute must for starters for the westerners.
“Tomorrow marks the first of five crucial games for us to ensure we break back into the top eight and remain in control of our destiny this season," said Wilkins.
"We’re very clear in what we need from the coming weeks to make the playoffs and we’re confident that we can achieve it."
While Six Nations-winning tighthead Bealham reaches his double century milestone, becoming the seventh player to do so for the province, academy graduate and scrum-half Matthew Devine makes his first start.
Devine's Ballinasloe and Garbally College teammate Shane Jennings lines out at full-back in Galway.
"It’s a special day for the club, with Finlay earning his 200th cap for Connacht, and Matthew making his first start," added Wilkins.
"Although at different stages of their careers, both are respected and valuable members of the squad, and we are determined to mark their milestones with a strong team performance.”
A reshuffled back row sees Shamus Hurley-Langton switched to the blindside, with Conor Oliver brought back into the team at openside and Sean O'Brien at No.8.
Tom Farrell returns to partner Bundee Aki at centre, while John Porch also returns to the backline with his selection on the wing.
Connacht: Jennings, Porch, Farrell, Aki, Smith, Hanrahan Devine; Duggan, Heffernan (C), Bealham, Joyce, N Murray, Hurley-Langton, Oliver, O'Brien. Replacements: McElroy, Dooley, Illo, Dowling, Butler, Blade, Forde, Boyle.
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