Guinness PRO12: Ireland stars return for Munster and Ulster
Saturday 31 October 2015 11:47, UK
There are two derbies in the Guinness PRO12 on Friday evening as Munster host Ulster and the Dragons travel to Scarlets.
Munster v Ulster (6pm)
Both teams welcome back some of their Ireland internationals for the first provincial derby of the season.
Simon Zebo returns on the wing for Munster and Donnacha Ryan is named on the bench as head coach Anthony Foley makes seven changes to the team that lost at Scarlets last week.
Scrum-half Tomás O'Leary makes his first start since returning to the province while New Zealand international Francis Saili partners Denis Hurley in midfield.
Ulster have won just once at Thomond Park in the PRO12 since 2009 but they are boosted by the return of Paddy Jackson and Darren Cave, who start at fly-half and outside centre respectively.
There are two other changes to the team that claimed a bonus-point win against Cardiff. Peter Nelson is selected at full-back while loosehead Andy Warwick is preferred to Callum Black.
Ireland flanker Chris Henry is named among the Ulster replacements.
Munster: 15 Andrew Conway, 14 Simon Zebo, 13 Francis Saili, 12 Denis Hurley, 11 Gerhard van den Heever, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Tomás O'Leary; 1 James Cronin, 2 Mike Sherry, 3 BJ Botha, 4 Dave Foley, 5 Mark Chisholm, 6 CJ Stander (c), 7 Jack O'Donoghue, 8 Robin Copeland.
Replacements: 16 Duncan Casey, 17 John Ryan, 18 Mario Sagario, 19 Donnacha Ryan, 20 Jordan Coghlan, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 Rory Scannell, 23 Ronan O'Mahony.
Ulster: 15 Peter Nelson, 14 Craig Gilroy, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Andrew Trimble, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Paul Marshall; 1 Andrew Warwick, 2 Rob Herring (c), 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 4 Lewis Stevenson, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Roger Wilson, 7 Sean Reidy, 8 Nick Williams.
Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Callum Black, 18 Ricky Lutton, 19 Dan Tuohy, 20 Chris Henry, 21 Paul Rowley, 22 Ian Humphreys, 23 Sammy Arnold.
Scarlets v Newport Gwent Dragons (6pm)
Wales No 8 Taulupe Faletau returns to the Dragons starting line-up despite speculation over his future, with Warren Gatland blocking his exit from the club.
Faletau's inclusion is one of four changes to the side that beat Treviso last weekend, with Dorian Jones and Charlie Davies named at half-back for the trip to Parc y Scarlets.
Wayne Pivac makes four changes to his team, with Harry Robinson set to make his first start since suffering a serious neck injury last May.
Tom Williams is named on the other wing after scoring a try when introduced against Munster as Hadleigh Parkes moves into the centre.
Scarlets are the only team to have won all five PRO12 fixtures this season and are on a nine-game winning streak that stretches back to March.
The Dragons have been victorious in just one of their last 14 derbies with the Scarlets, a 23-16 success in September 2013.
Scarlets: 15 Aled Thomas, 14 Tom Williams, 13 Regan King, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Harry Robinson, 10 Steven Shingler, 9 Rhodri Williams; 1 Phil John, 2 Ken Owens (c), 3 Peter Edwards, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Lewis Rawlins, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 James Davies, 8 John Barclay.
Replacements: 16 Emyr Phillips, 17 Dylan Evans, 18 Will Taylor, 19 George Earle, 20 Jack Condy, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Jacob Cowley.
Dragons: 15 Jason Tovey, 14 Ashton Hewitt, 13 Adam Hughes, 12 Adam Warren, 11 Nick Scott, 10 Dorian Jones, 9 Charlie Davies; 1 Boris Stankovich, 2 Elliot Dee, 3 Brok Harris, 4 Matthew Screech, 5 Rynard Landman (c), 6 Ed Jackson, 7 Nic Cudd, 8 Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Buckley, 17 Phil Price, 18 Shaun Knight, 19 Cory Hill, 20 Ollie Griffiths, 21 Sarel Pretorius, 22 Geraint Rhys Jones, 23 Carl Meyer.
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