URC: Ulster v Munster, Kingspan Stadium, Friday, 7.35 – Live on TG4 & Premier Sports
Ulster head coach Richie Murphy welcomes back scrumhalf John Cooney for Friday night’s interpro clash against Munster in Belfast, while Murphy’s 20-year-old son Jack is in line to make his debut for the province after the academy outhalf was named on the replacements bench for the game.
Cooney makes his return from a hamstring injury to start alongside Aidan Morgan at halfback in an otherwise unchanged backline from the defeat to Bordeaux Bègles in the Champions Cup.
There is one change to the frontrow, with Andrew Warwick coming in at loosehead prop for Eric O’Sullivan.
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In the secondrow, Alan O’Connor comes into the side in place of Iain Henderson and also takes over the captaincy.
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The backrow sees two changes, as James McNabney comes in for Cormac Izuchukwu at blindside flanker and Marcus Rea at openside in place of Nick Timoney.
Munster make six changes from the side that went down to defeat to Castres in France last weekend.
Paddy Patterson takes over at scrumhalf from the injured Craig Casey, while Shane Daly comes on to the left wing for Thaakir Abrahams, who dislocated a shoulder against Castres.
John Ryan, Tom Ahern, captain Jack O’Donoghue and Gavin Coombes come into the pack for the trip to Belfast.
On the injury front, Peter O’Mahony (calf) and Diarmuid Barron (shoulder) were unavailable due to the knocks they picked up in Castres.
In line with IRFU player management guidelines, Tadhg Beirne was unavailable for selection.
ULSTER (v Munster): Michael Lowry; Werner Kok, Jude Postlethwaite, Stuart McCloskey, Zac Ward; Aidan Morgan, John Cooney; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole; Alan O’Connor (capt), Kieran Treadwell; James McNabney, Marcus Rea, David McCann.
Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Scott Wilson, Harry Sheridan, Matty Rea, Dave Shanahan, Jack Murphy, Rory Telfer.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson; John Ryan, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Tom Ahern, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (capt), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Dave Kilcoyne, Oli Jager, Evan O’Connell, Alex Kendellen, Ethan Coughlan, Rory Scannell, Brian Gleeson.
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