ACADEMY member Ben O’Connor is given his chance to impress for Munster in today’s URC outing with Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun (7.35pm).
The 20 year old is chosen at full-back, while fellow young guns Danny Sheahan, Ruadhán Quinn, and Gordon Wood are named among the replacements.
O’Connor recently signed a development contract for 2026/27 and will progress to a senior deal for the following campaign.
A talented sportsman, O’Connor has won two All-Ireland medals with the Cork hurlers – at minor level in 2021 and U20 level in 2023.
Diarmuid Barron captains the side with nine changes to the team that were beaten by Edinburgh last time out.
Barron, Seán O’Brien, Andrew Smith, Tony Butler, Paddy Patterson, Jeremy Loughman, Stephen Archer, Alex Kendellen and Gavin Coombes all come into the side.
Smith makes his Munster debut on the wing having joined the province on loan from Connacht earlier this month.
Loughman returns from a hip injury for his first appearance in almost five months.
O’Connor, O’Brien, and Smith form the back three with Alex Nankivell and Tom Farrell starting together in an unchanged midfield partnership.
Patterson and Butler are named in the half-backs after starting together against Leicester last week.
Loughman, Barron, and Archer pack down in the front row with Archer making his 297th appearance for Munster.
Fineen Wycherley and Tom Ahern start in the engine room with a back row of Kendellen, John Hodnett and Coombes.
Billy Burns, Niall Scannell, and Oli Jager were unavailable due to knocks.
Munster’s Six Nations contingent are on a mandatory rest period.
Munster: Ben O’Connor; Seán O’Brien, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Andrew Smith; Tony Butler, Paddy Patterson; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, captain, Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern; Alex Kendellen, John Hodnett. Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Danny Sheahan, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Brian Gleeson, Ruadhán Quinn, Ethan Coughlan, Gordon Wood, Rory Scannell.
