That change comes in the front row where the fit again Jerry Flannery returns in place of Frank Sheahan. Flannery injured a knee in the international against Argentina but has staged a remarkable recovery to regain his place in the starting XV.

Munster completed their preparations in UL on Wednesday and while Flannery took a full part, Barry Murphy sat out the afternoon session because of a slight back problem but that was purely precautionary and Murphy is fit and well and ready to take his place alongside Lifeimi Mafi in the Munster midfield.

Munster will have their Captain's Run this evening behind closed doors in Thomond Park and their opponents will arrive in Limerick reportedly without wing Aurelien Rougerie, prop Thomas Domingo and a doubt about whether or not centre Gonzalo Canale will be fit to play.

Munster: K Earls; D Howlett, B Murphy, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, J Flannery,  J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Wallace. Replacements: D Fogarty, T Buckley, D Ryan, J Coughlan, P Stringer, P Warwick, K Lewis.

Clermont: Anthony Floch, Julien Malzieu, Marius Joubert, Benoît Baby, Napolioni Vonowale Nalaga, Brock James,  Pierre Mignoni,  Laurent Emmanuelli,  Benoit Cabello, Stephanus Jacobus ROUX, Jamie Cudmore, Thibaut Privat, Julien Bonnaire,  Alexandre Audebert, Elvis Vermeulen, 
Mario Ledesma, Davit Zirakashvili, Christophe Samson, Emmanuel Etien, John Senio, Seremaïa Bai, Grant Esterhuizen,