The opening weekend of the RaboDirect PRO12 is upon us and the Irish sides have announced their starting line-ups. Munster and Leinster travel to Scotland and Wales respectively, while Connacht and Ulster will start the season at home.
By Declan Whooley
Ulster will be the first Irish side in action when they take on the Glasgow Warriors at Ravenhill tonight at 7.05pm. Mark Anscombe will hand competitive debuts to Sean Doyle and Nick Williams in the back-row, South African hooker Rob Herring and scrum-half Michael Heaney.
With Paddy Jackson at out-half, and Luke Marshall and Chris Farrell forming a new centre partnership, Anscombe has opted for an inexperienced side. He will have strong reserves to draw on should the need arise, with more than 500 caps between the eight replacements.
Ulster XV v Glasgow Warriors: J Payne; M Allen, C Farrell, L Marshall, C Gilroy; P Jackson, M Heaney; C Black, R Herring, J Afoa, J Muller (c), L Stevenson; R Diack, S Doyle, N Williams.
Scrum-half Kieran Marmion makes his first start for Connacht as they take on the Cardiff Blues on Saturday at the Sportsground with a 5pm kick-off. The 20 year-old is joined at half-back with Miah Nikora as new signing Dan Parks is carrying an injury.
Mata Fifita also makes his first start at centre and the team shows a wealth of experience with a back-row of John Muldoon, Johnny O’Connor and George Naoupu boasting almost 450 caps between them. Second-row Michael Swift will make his 220th appearance for the province, while Ronan Loughney plays his first game at the Sportsground since becoming a full international.
Connacht XV v Cardiff Blues: G Duffy (c); T O’Halloran, E Griffin, M Fifita, F Vainikolo; M Nikora, K Marmion; D Buckley, E Reynecke, R Loughney; M Swift, M McCarthy; J Muldoon, J O’Connor, G Naoupu.
Rob Penney’s first competitive selection sees three debutants in the team to take on Edinburgh at Murrayfield tomorrow night. Summer signings Casey Laulala and James Downey will form the new centre partnership while Sean Dougall starts at openside flanker.
Captain Doug Howlett will lead the side out for the first time and is joined by fellow winger Luke O’Dea. The front-row is a formidable unit, while Dougall is joined in the back-row by Paddy Butler and James Coughlan.
Munster XV v Edinburgh: D Hurley; D Howlett (c), C Laulala, J Downey, L O’Dea; I Keatley, D Williams; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O’Callaghan, B Holland; P Butler, S Dougall, J Coughlan.
Leinster have gone for a blend of youth and experience in their line-up for the game away to the Scarlets tomorrow evening. Brendan Macken and Noel Reid will form the midfield partnership with Andrew Conway and Fionn Carr on the wings.
Joe Schmidt will look to the likes of Isaac Boss, Isa Nacewa, Shane Jennings, Devin Toner and Richardt Strauss to show leadership in Wales as Leinster look to go one step better than last season
Leinster XV v Scarlets: I Nacewa; A Conway, B Macken, N Reid, F Carr; I Madigan, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, J Hagan; D Browne, D Toner; D Ryan, S Jennings (c), L Auva’a.
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