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Trimble is back on the right wing, with Bowe making way. ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Team news

Tuqiri at 13 for Leinster, Trimble starts for Ulster and Munster go for Keatley

Here’s all the team news for Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster ahead of another weekend of Pro12 action.

Updated 12.13

ULSTER COACH MARK Anscombe has made four changes to his starting XV ahead of the trip to Wales to take on the Ospreys in the RaboDirect Pro12 tomorrow night.

Andrew Trimble has recovered from surgery on his finger three weeks ago to take his place on the right wing, with Tommy Bowe dropping out of the squad completely. Trimble will be glad to be back on the pitch after assuming very different responsibilities last weekend.

Anscombe has made three other personnel switches after last weekend’s bonus point win against Treviso at Ravenhill, with Declan Fitzpatrick, Nick Williams and captain Johann Muller coming in.

Fitzpatrick is fit again after sustaining an injury against Connacht two weeks ago and starts at tighthead, while Williams is selected at No. 8 in place of Roger Wilson and will be hoping to celebrate his new two-year contract in style.

Ireland international Stuart Olding is picked on the bench and could make his first appearance of the campaign, having impressed greatly in the centre over the course of last season.

Meanwhile, Pat Lam had made wholesale changes to his Connacht team ahead of tomorrow night’s clash with Treviso in Italy. New signing Craig Clarke has been named as captain for the first time, despite the presence of Gavin Duffy at fullback.

Rodney Ah You and Ronan Loughney come into the starting team in the prop positions, with Brett Wilkinson and Nathan White moving to the bench. In the second row, Aly Muldowney replaces the injured Michael Swift, while George Naoupu starts at No.8.

In the backs, there is a new set of wingers in Fionn Carr and Tiernan O’Halloran, who will both be eager to prove their worth. Dan Parks replaces Craig Ronaldson at out-half and he’ll be partnered by Paul O’Donohue, who is making his first start of the season at scrum-half.

Replacements Mata Fifita and Jack Carty will both hope to make their first appearances of the season from the bench as Connacht look to bounce back from last weekend’s 43-26 defeat to the Ospreys.

Robbie Henshaw gets a break this weekend as part of the IRFU player welfare programme, while James So’oialo’s work permit has still not been cleared.

imageDuncan Williams starts at scrum-half for Munster. ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Munster have named a strong starting XV for the much-anticipated inter-provincial derby against Leinster on Saturday night, with Ian Keatley handed the number 10 shirt.

Conor Murray is back in the squad, but only on the bench as Duncan Williams gets the nod at scrum-half. Paul O’Connell returns to the starting team alongside fellow international Donnacha Ryan.

Felix Jones is at fullback, making up an exciting back three with Simon Zebo and Keith Earls. In midfield, last season’s first-choice pairing of James Downey and Casey Lualala are reunited.

In the back row, CJ Stander misses out as Peter O’Mahony, James Coughlan and Niall Ronan are preferred. Dave Kilcoyne is back in at loose head prop in place of James Cronin. BJ Botha returns to the squad sooner than anticipated, starting on the bench.

Leinster coach Matt O’Conner has selected Lote Tuqiri at outside centre for tomorrow’s inter-pro in the absence of Brian O’Driscoll, who picked up a minor calf strain in training and will be assessed by the medical staff over the coming days.

Ian Madigan has got the nod at out-half, while Jamie Heaslip captains the side. Jordi Murphy is unavailable after undergoing a procedure on an ankle injury.

Mike McCarthy partners Devin Toner in the second row as part of an all-Irish international pack. The Leinster XV is largely as was expected apart from Tuqiri at 13.

The bench includes Jimmy Gopperth and the returning Luke Fitzgerald.

Ulster (v Ospreys): Craig Gilroy, Andrew Trimble, Jared Payne, Luke Marshall, Michael Allen, Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall; Tom Court, Rory Best, Declan Fitzpatrick; Johann Muller (Capt.), Dan Tuohy, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Black, Bronson Ross, Iain Henderson, Roger Wilson, Michael Heaney, Stuart Olding, Darren Cave.

Connacht (v Treviso): Gavin Duffy, Tiernan O’Halloran, Danie Poolman, Eoin Griffin, Fionn Carr, Dan Parks, Paul O’Donohoe; Rodney Ah You, Sean Henry, Ronan Loughney; Aly Muldowney, Craig Clarke (Capt.), Andrew Browne, Jake Heenan, George Naoupu.

Replacements: James Rael, Brett Wilkinson, Nathan White, John Muldoon, Mata Fifita, Kieran Marmion, Jack Carty, Matt Healy.

Munster (v Leinster): Felix Jones, Keith Earls, Casey Laulala, James Downey, Simon Zebo, Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry, Stephen Archer; Donnacha Ryan, Paul O’Connell, Peter O’Mahony (Capt.), Niall Ronan, James Coughlan.

Replacements: Damien Varley, James Cronin, BJ Botha, Donncha O’Callaghan, CJ Stander, Conor Murray, JJ Hanrahan, Denis Hurley.

Leinster (v Munster): Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Lote Tuqiri, Gordon D’Arcy, Dave Kearney, Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross; Mike McCarthy, Devin Toner, Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip (Capt.)

Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Jack McGrath, Martin Moore, Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Isaac Boss, Jimmy Gopperth, Luke Fitzgerald.

- Originally published at 12.23, Thursday 3rd October.

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