Ulster and Connacht will both welcome back multiple Ireland internationals for Friday’s BKT United Rugby Championship Interpro at Affidea Stadium in Belfast.
Both sides make nine changes to their teams, following victories in their rescheduled Round 2 games last week, with Jacob Stockdale starting at outside centre for Richie Murphy’s injury-hit Ulster.
With Stuart McCloskey on mandatory rest after the Six Nations and James Hume and Jude Postlethwaite both injured, Stockdale makes a rare start in the 13 shirt as Ulster look to do the double on their provincial rivals.
The 29-year-old has only started at centre once in his professional career, just over nine years ago to the day in 2017, but will link up with Ben Carson as the midfield combination this week.
Tom Stewart and captain Iain Henderson also return to the starting team after their Six Nations squad announcement, while Tom O’Toole is included as a replacement at tighthead prop.
Australia international Angus Bell continues in the starting loosehead shirt, with Stewart swapping in for Rob Herring at hooker and Scott Wilson returning at tighthead.
Henderson and Joe Hopes are paired together in the second row, with Harry Sheridan suspended and Charlie Irvine dropping out.
Cormac Izuchukwu misses out with concussion as David McCann returns at blindside flanker, with Marcus Rea coming in for Bryn Ward at openside, and Juarno Augustus continuing at number eight.
Nathan Doak returns at scrum-half to partner Jack Murphy behind the scrum, with Carson and Stockdale in the centre.
The back three is unchanged, with Zac Ward and Werner Kok on the wings as Rob Baloucoune misses out with a long-term elbow injury, and Mike Lowry continues at full-back.
Bundee Aki (above) headlines five members of the Ireland squad who go straight into the starting Connacht team as Stuart Lancaster also makes nine changes to his team from last week’s win against Scarlets.
Aki is joined by captain Cian Prendergast, as well as Finlay Bealham, Darragh Murray and Billy Bohan in returning to the staring team, but full-back Sam Gilbert is among those ruled out due to injury.
Lancaster has changed his full front row, with Bohan and Bealham coming in for Peter Dooley and Jack Aungier at prop, with Dave Heffernan making his comeback from injury at hooker.
Joe Joyce stays in the second row, joined at lock by Darragh Murray, fresh off the back of his tryscoring cameo for Ireland last week.
Top tryscorer Sean Jansen has shaken off a hip injury to start at number eight, with Prendergast replacing Boyle at openside flanker and Josh Murphy continuing at blindside.
Colm Reilly starts again at scrum-half, with Jack Carty coming in for Josh Ioane at out-half.
Aki takes the place of John Devins at centre, with the 35-year-old partnering Cathal Forde in midfield.
Shane Jennings retains the 14 shirt on the right wing, with Finn Treacy replacing Chay Mullins on the left, and Sean Naughton starts at full-back, with Gilbert sidelined due to a rib injury.
Ulster: Michael Lowry; Werner Kok, Jacob Stockdale, Ben Carson, Zac Ward; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Angus Bell, Tom Stewart, Scott Wilson; Iain Henderson (capt), Joe Hopes; David McCann, Marcus Rea, Juarno Augustus
Replacements: Rob Herring, Sam Crean, Tom O’Toole, Matthew Dalton, Bryn Ward, Conor McKee, Jonny Scott, Ethan McIlroy
Connacht: Seán Naughton; Shane Jennings, Cathal Forde, Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy; Jack Carty, Colm Reilly; Billy Bohan, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Joe Joyce, Darragh Murray; Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast (capt), Sean Jansen
Replacements: Matthew Victory, Peter Dooley, Sam Illo, Niall Murray, Paul Boyle, Ben Murphy, Josh Ioane, John Devine
Michael Milne and Tom Farrell (above) are the only two of Munster’s Six Nations contingent who start in the first of their South African tour games against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
While Jack Crowley, Craig Casey and Jeremy Loughman have linked up with the squad in South Africa this week, the trio will be held back for next week’s trip to Pretoria to face the Bulls.
Clayton McMillan has made six changes to the side that defeated Zebre at Thomond Park three weeks ago, with Tom Ahern, Alex Nankivell and John Hodnett all returning from injury in the starting team.
Milne, who made three appearances in the Six Nations for Ireland, joins Diarmuid Barron and Michael Ala’alatoa in the front row, while Ahern replaces Fineen Wycherley at lock, partnering Jean Kleyn.
Sean Edogbo is at blindside flanker, with Jack O’Donoughue unavailable, while Hodnett comes in for Brian Gleeson for his first appearance since the start of January. Gavin Coombes completes the pack at number eight.
Ethan Coughlan starts ahead of Paddy Patterson at scrum-half, and JJ Hanrahan is named captain for the day, continuing in the 10 shirt.
Nankivell joins Farrell in the centre, with Dan Kelly dropping to the bench, while the back three of Mike Haley, Calvin Nash and Shane Daly is unchanged.
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan (capt), Ethan Coughlan; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron, Michael Ala’alatoa; Jean Kleyn, Tom Ahern; Seán Edogbo, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley, Paddy Patterson, Dan Kelly, Brian Gleeson.
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