Fitzgerald in first start for Munster

Today at 10:30 AM

FOLLOWING ON from the great disappointment of the loss at Zebre, Munster will aim for a quick return to winning ways in the URC against Ospreys in Cork on Saturday, 7.35pm.

Both sides are a win apiece from two starts.

At Friday lunchtime, home coach Graham Rowntree unveiled his starting selection.

There are eight personnel changes and one positional switch to the side that suffered a shock defeat in Italy.

Garryowen's Bryan Fitzgerald (25) makes his first start for the province following his debut off the bench at the weekend.

Captain Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley and Peter O'Mahony all start on their first appearances of the season.

Academy winger Shay McCarthy (21), Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell and Jack O'Donoghue also come into team.

Mike Haley, Calvin Nash and McCarthy start in the back three.

Craig Casey and Crowley are in the half-backs as Fitzgerald and Tom Farrell start together in midfield. A positional change sees Farrell return to outside centre.

Loughman, Scannell and Oli Jager pack down in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Beirne in the engine room.

O'Mahony, John Hodnett and O'Donoghue complete the line-up.

On the injury front, Alex Nankivell (shoulder) was unavailable for selection.

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Bryan Fitzgerald, Shay McCarthy; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne, captain; Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Jack O'Donoghue.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Gavin Coombes, Conor Murray, Tony Butler, Jack Daly.

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