INTERIM Head Coach Ian Costello has announced the Munster team for Saturday evening’s long sold-out glamour fixture with the All-Blacks XV at Thomond Park, kick-off 5.30pm.
Diarmuid Barron captains Munster with Peter O’Mahony returning after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Diarmuid Kilgallen earns his first cap with a start on the left wing as Academy speedster Shay McCarthy is selected on the right wing.
Mike Haley starts at full-back with McCarthy and Kilgallen on either wing.
Ethan Coughlan and Billy Burns start together in the half-backs with Rory Scannell and Tom Farrell in midfield.
John Ryan, Barron, and Stephen Archer pack down in the front row with Fineen Wycherley and Tom Ahern in the engine room.
It will be Ahern’s 50th Munster appearance.
O’Mahony, John Hodnett, and Gavin Coombes complete the side.
Additional seating has been installed at both ends of the ground, increasing the capacity of Thomond Park to 26,267.
The tie will be exclusively live-streamed on Access Munster.
Munster: Mike Haley; Shay McCarthy, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan; John Ryan, Diarmuid Barron, captain, Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern; Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Kieran Ryan, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Ruadhán Quinn, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Ben O’Connor.
