Anthony Foley makes nine changes to Munster team for London Irish clash

Munster head coach Anthony Foley has made nine changes to the team for Friday night's visit of London Irish to Musgrave Park.

In the pack John Ryan joins Mike Sherry and Stephen Archer in the front row while John Madigan returns to partner Dave Foley in the second row. Foley is the only forward to start in all three pre-season games.

Jordan Coghlan starts at openside joining Dave O’Callaghan and CJ Stander in the backrow with the South African captaining the side once again from number eight.

For the third successive week Foley introduces a different starting 10 with 18-year-old Bill Johnston making his first senior start and joining Cathal Sheridan in the halfbacks.

Further changes to the backline see New Zealander Francis Saili make his first start for the province while Emerging Ireland tourists Rory Scannell and Andrew Conway both make a return to provincial action with Scannell joining Saili in the centre partnership and Conway named at fullback.

The final change sees academy player Stephen Fitzgerald on the wing with Gerhard van den Heever once again holding on to the 11 jersey for his third consecutive start.

The Munster family connections are as strong as ever with two sets of brothers named in the match-day squad - Rory and Niall Scannell from Cork, and Bill and David Johnston from Tipperary.

Munster: Andrew Conway; Stephen Fitzgerald, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Gerhard van den Heever; Bill Johnston, Cathal Sheridan; John Ryan, Mike Sherry, Stephen Archer; John Madigan, Dave Foley; Dave O’Callaghan, Jordan Coghlan, CJ Stander capt. Replacements: Niall Scannell, James Cronin, BJ Botha, Donncha O’Callaghan, Robin Copeland, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Shane Monahan, Shane Buckley, Matt D’Arcy, David Johnston.

London Irish: Andrew Fenby, Alex Lewington, E Griffin, Dominic Waldouck, Topsy Ojo; Theo Brophy-Clews, Scott Steele; Tom Court, Gerard Ellis, Richard Palframan; Eoin Sheriff, Matt Symons (Captain), Luke Narraway, Conor Gilsenan;, David Sisi. Replacements: Tom Cruse, Tom Smallbone, Geoff Cross, George Skivington, David Paice, Ollie Curry, Brendan McKibbin, Ross Neal, Christian Lewis-Pratt, Johnny Harris, Jimmy Stevens, Conor Murphy, Johnny Williams.