With doubts about Rua Tipoki, he is named on the bench, added to the continued absence through injury of Barry Murphy (hamstring) and given that Keith Earls has just recovered from hamstring trouble, coach Declan Kidney uses Leamy in the centre on this occasion.

He was also forced to reshuffle his pack after Mick O'Driscoll failed to recover from a back strain picked up in training earlier in the week. Donnacha Ryan now partners Donncha O'Callaghan in the second row with James Coughlan brought onto the bench.

Munster: D Hurley; D Howlett, L Mafi, D Leamy, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; T Buckley, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, D Ryan; A Quinlan, D Wallace, A Foley capt. Replacements: F Sheahan, M Horan, P O'Connell, J Coughlan, T O'Leary, R O'Gara, R Tipoki.

Connacht: G Duffy; M Mostyn, M Deane, K Matthews, D Riordan; A Dunne, C O'Loughlin; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Morris; D Gannon, A Farley capt; J Muldoon, J O'Connor, C Rigney. Replacements:  J Fogarty, B McGovern, A Browne, L Casserly, C McPhillips, T Nathan, D Yapp.