Stringer dropped for Gloucester clash

Tomás O'Leary has been named ahead of Peter Stringer for Munster's Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Gloucester on Saturday.

Despite having made 74 Heineken Cup appearances for Munster, Stringer, who is Ireland's most capped scrumhalf, has to settle for a place on the bench for the game at Kingsholm.

O'Leary, who played a key role in Munster's recent 42-6 win over Ulster, has started three Cup matches for Munster lately and made 10 appearances off the bench and is considered one of the most improved players in the Munster squad.

There is also a surprise at fulllback where, after impressing in recent Magner's Celtic League games against Ulster and Connacht, Denis Hurley has been selected to make his Heineken Cup debut.  The experienced Shaun Payne is left out of the matchday squad altogether.

In the pack Denis Leamy has been preferred to Anthony Foley at number eight, while Paul O'Connell reclaims the captain's role after Ronan O'Gara deputised in the absence of the lock in the pool stages.

England centre Mike Tindall returns to the Gloucester bench two months after suffering a torn liver, punctured lung and internal bleeding during the RBS Six Nations defeat against Wales at Twickenham.

Changes in the starting line-up following last weekend's Premiership loss to Worcester see starts for Chris Paterson on the wing — Ian Balshaw has concussion - flanker Peter Buxton and his fellow back-row man Andy Hazell.

Heineken Cup teams

Munster:D Hurley; D Howlett, R Tipoki, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt), A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

Replacements: F Sheahan, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, A Foley, P Stringer, P Warwick, K Lewis.

Gloucester:O Morgan; C Paterson, J Simpson-Daniel, A Allen, L Vainikolo; R Lamb, R Lawson; N Wood, A Titterrell, C Nieto, M Bortolami (capt), A Brown, P Buxton, A Hazell, L Narraway.

Replacements:J Paul, A Dickinson, W James, G Delve, G Cooper, W Walker, M Tindall.