Edinburgh v Munster: Guinness PRO12 preview
Last Updated: 11/04/15 1:07pm
Ireland captain Paul O’Connell is back in the Munster starting line-up for Saturday’s Guinness PRO12 trip to Edinburgh.
O’Connell lifted the Six Nations trophy at Murrayfield last month and fellow internationals Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony also return for Anthony Foley’s side at the same venue.
Foley has made six changes to the team that recorded a bonus-point victory over Connacht in round 18. Three of those come in the front row as Dave Kilcoyne and BJ Botha pack down on either side of Duncan Casey, who makes his first start since the end of January.
O’Connell is named amongside Billy Holland in the second row with skipper O’Mahony back on the blindside, while scrum-half Murray resumes his partnership with Ian Keatley.
Munster were beaten at home by Edinburgh in the opening round of this season’s PRO12, but they travel to the Scottish capital having lost just one of their last six fixtures.
Edinburgh defeated London Irish in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup last weekend and head coach Alan Solomons makes one change to the team that started in Reading.
Dougie Fife, who was a late withdrawal against the Exiles due to a nose injury, is named on the wing with Greig Tonks retained at full-back.
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne is at scrum-half after kicking 12 points in a man-of-the-match display against Irish. He partners Tom Heathcote, while Phil Burleigh and Andries Strauss resuming their centre pairing.
Edinburgh: 15 Greig Tonks, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Phil Burleigh, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Tom Heathcote, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; 1 Alasdair Dickinson, 2 Ross Ford (c), 3 WP Nel, 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Ben Toolis, 6 Roddy Grant, 7 Hamish Watson, 8 David Denton.
Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Grant Shiells, 18 John Andress, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 Tomas Leonardi, 21 Nathan Fowles, 22 Sam Beard, 23 Tom Brown.
Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Andrew Smith, 12 Denis Hurley, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Dave Kilcoyne, 2 Duncan Casey, 3 BJ Botha, 4 Billy Holland, 5 Paul O'Connell, 6 Peter O'Mahony (c), 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 8 CJ Stander.
Replacements: 16 Eusebio Guinazu, 17 James Cronin, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Donnacha Ryan, 20 Dave O'Callaghan, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Ronan O'Mahony.