Guinness PRO12: Leinster v Munster match preview

Leinster and Munster meet in a tantalising early season Guinness PRO12 derby at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday.

The Munstermen don't usually enjoy trips to the Aviva having lost on their last five visits - and all against Leinster - since beating their fiercest rivals there in the semi-final of the European Cup in April 2006.

Matt O'Connor's side head into the contest in fifth position with two wins and two defeats from their opening four games in the tournament while Munster sit just one place below their opponents in the standings with an identical record, although they have picked up one bonus point fewer.

Leinster make three changes to the starting line-up which overcame Cardiff Blues last Friday, with Jack McGrath and Mike Ross starting for their 65th and 112th appearances respectively.

Sean Cronin will start his fifth PRO12 match in a row at hooker, the Limerick man facing his former club for whom he made two appearances.

The final change is in the second row, with Mike McCarthy coming in to partner Devin Toner while Kane Douglas is named among the replacements.

Eight changes

Munster head coach Anthony Foley has named Peter O'Mahony and Damien Varley in his 23-man squad to face their rivals.

Foley has made a total of eight changes to the starting line-up that lost to Ospreys last weekend at Thomond Park.

Having successfully rehabbed from a double shoulder procedure, squad captain O'Mahony returns to a match-day squad for the first time since the European quarter-final against Toulouse in April while hooker Varley is also included after rehabbing an ongoing foot injury.

In the front row James Cronin and Stephen Archer come in at loosehead and tighthead respectively, while Duncan Casey makes his fourth consecutive start at hooker. Dave Foley also returns to the line-up and partners Paul O'Connell in the second-row.

The back row sees CJ Stander make the positional switch to blindside flanker this week and he is joined by Tommy O'Donnell on the opposite flank and No 8 Robin Copeland, who features in his first PRO12 derby encounter.

In the half-backs, Conor Murray and Ian Keatley remain in situ from last week while Denis Hurley resumes his centre partnership with Andrew Smith who is promoted from the bench.

Andrew Conway retains his place and is joined by Simon Zebo and Felix Jones in the back three.

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Gordon D'Arcy, 12 Ian Madigan, 11 Darragh Fanning, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Eoin Reddan; 1 Jack McGrath, 2 Sean Cronin, 3 Mike Ross, 4 Devin Toner, 5 Mike McCarthy, 6 Rhys Ruddock, 7 Dominic Ryan, 8 Jamie Heaslip (capt).

Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Michael Bent, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Kane Douglas, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Steve Crosbie, 23 Mick McGrath.

Munster: 15 Felix Jones (capt), 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Andrew Smith, 12 Denis Hurley, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray, 1 James Cronin, 2 Duncan Casey, 3 Stephen Archer, 4 Dave Foley, 5 Paul O'Connell, 6 CJ Stander, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 8 Robin Copeland.

Replacements: 16 Damien Varley, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 BJ Botha, 19 Billy Holland, 20 Peter O'Mahony, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Gerhard van den Heever.

Watch Leinster v Munster live on Saturday from 6pm on Sky Sports 2 HD.