Munster look set to hand a senior debut to out-half Tom Wood, who has been named on the bench for their BKT URC clash away to leaders Glasgow tomorrow night (7.45pm).
The 19-year-old Garryowen clubman, son of former Ireland captain Keith, came up through the ranks at Ballina-Killaloe RFC and St Munchin’s College and has been part of the Ireland Under-20 squad for the last two seasons.
Wood is one of two academy players in the squad with 21-year-old Seán Edogbo keeping his place in an unchanged back row along with Ruadhán Quinn (22) and Brian Gleeson (21).
There are four personnel changes and two positional switches to the side that beat Dragons in Cork last weekend with Diarmuid Barron, who has just signed a two-year contract extension until 2028, captaining Munster.
In the backline, Diarmuid Kilgallen starts on the wing with Shane Daly moving to outside centre as Dan Kelly shifts to inside centre.
Josh Wycherley, Oli Jager and Evan O’Connell come into the pack with 21-year-old O’Connell making his 10th Munster appearance.
Mike Haley, Thaakir Abrahams and Kilgallen start in the back three.
Ennis half-backs Ethan Coughlan and Tony Butler start together for the second time.
Josh Wycherley, Barron and Jager pack down in the front row with Jager making his first start since October after returning from a head injury earlier this month.
O’Connell and Fineen Wycherley pair up in the engine room.
Lee Barron, Mark Donnelly and John Ryan provide the front-row reinforcements as Gavin Coombes and Jack O’Donoghue complete the forward cover.
Donnelly is in line for his first Munster appearance since November after recently returning from a short-term loan spell at Ealing Trailfinders, where he played three games in as many weeks.
Paddy Patterson, Wood and Seán O’Brien are the backline replacements.
Munster: Mike Haley; Thaakir Abrahams, Shane Daly, Dan Kelly, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron (capt), Oli Jager; Evan O’Connell, Fineen Wycherley; Seán Edogbo, Ruadhán Quinn, Brian Gleeson.
Replacements: Lee Barron, Mark Donnelly, John Ryan, Gavin Coombes, Jack O’Donoghue, Paddy Patterson, Tom Wood, Seán O’Brien.
Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay; Kyle Rowe, Stafford McDowall (capt), Kerr Yule, Ollie Smith; Dan Lancaster, Ben Afshar; Jamie Bhatti, Seb Stephen, Murphy Walker; Alex Craig, Jare Oguntibeju; Euan Ferrie, Angus Fraser, Ally Miller.
Replacements: Grant Stewart, Nathan McBeth, Sam Talakai, Dylan Cockburn, Sione Vailanu, Macenzzie Duncan, Jack Oliver, Matthew Urwin.
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