Andrew Conway to start for Munster against Zebre

Former Leinster back Andrew Conway will make his first competitive start for Munster when they lineout against Zebre at Stadio XXV Aprile on Friday night (6.30pm).

The wing sustained a dead leg during a tryscoring cameo against Gloucester in a pre-season friendly last month, but will start alongside Denis Hurley and Johne Murphy in the back three tomorrow night.

After his try and conversion off the bench in the win over Edinburgh last week, JJ Hanrahan will start at outhalf ahead of Ian Keatley, with Cathal Sheridan called into scrumhalf ahead of Duncan Williams.

Lock Donnacha Ryan will make his first appearance of the season, with Ian Nagle in the secondrow.

Damien Varley will captain the side from the frontrow, while James Downey is in the squad after recovering from a quad tear picked up at training.

The Zebre frontrow is all change from that which took to the field for the 25-16 defeat to Connacht in Galway last week, with props Salvatore Perugini and Luca Redolfini alongside young international hooker Andrea Manici.

Munster (v Zebre): Denis Hurley; Johne Murphy, Casey Laulala, Ivan Dineen, Andrew Conway; JJ Hanrahan, Cathal Sheridan; Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley Capt., John Ryan; Donnacha Ryan, Ian Nagle; CJ Stander, Tommy O'Donnell, Paddy Butler. Replacements: Mike Sherry, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, Dave Foley, Niall Ronan, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, James Downey.

Zebre (v Munster): R Trevisan; L Sarto, K Ratuvou, G Garcia, G Vemditti; L Orquera, B Leonard; S Perugini, A Manici, L Redolfini; Q Geldenhuys, M Bortolami (captain); F Ferrarini, A Van Schalkwyk, S Vunisa. Replacements: D Giazzon, M Aguero, D Chistolini, G Biagi, F Cristiano, A Chillon, T Iannone, D Berryman