Zebo in for injured Howlett

Rugby:Simon Zebo comes into the Munster team for the injured Doug Howlett after the Kiwi ruptured his Achilles tendon

Zebo takes his place on the left wing after passing a fitness test following an ankle injury scare earlier in the week.

Zebo is making his Heineken Cup debut, while outhalf Ronan O’Gara becomes only the second player to win 100 Heineken Cup caps. Prop John Hayes was the first player to reach that mark.

Munster keeps the same pack of forwards that they had against Castres in Round Two, as they head to Llanelli for the clash with Pool leaders Scarlets in Parc Y Scarlets (KO: 3.40).

Denis Hurley is named at full-back with Johne Murphy on the right wing. Will Chambers and Lifeimi Mafi earn starting positions in the centre with young Danny Barnes having to make do with a place on the bench.

Coach Tony McGahan favours Conor Murray at scrumhalf ahead of Tomás O'Leary.

There are no changes in the pack, with the same eight that lined out against Castres selected. Donnacha Ryan again partners captain Paul O’Connell in the second row and squeezes out Donncha O’Callaghan, who reverts to the bench. Niall Ronan, James Coughlan and Peter O'Mahony make up the starting backrow

McGahan has an experienced bench at his disposal as Munster struggle to find convincing form. Hayes, Marcus Horan, O'Callaghan and Denis Leamy are all named in the replacements.

Eric Elwood makes two changes to the Connacht matchday 23 for their Heineken Cup match against Gloucester on Saturday in the Sportsground (KO: 1.30). But just one of those changes is in the starting lineup.

Lock Mike McCarthy returns from suspension to replace the injured Michael Swift in the secondrow. He will be partnered by big George Naoupu while the athletic backrow of Dave Gannon, John Muldoon and Ray Ofisa will continue the hard graft of the loose forwards.

An uncompromising front row of Brett Wilkinson, Ethienne Reynecke and Ronan Loughney complete the pack.

Frank Murphy and Niall O'Connor resume their halfback partnership while Elwood shows faith in last week's backs naming an unchanged backline with Dave McSharry and Kyle Tonetti in the centre and Mark McCrea, Tiernan O'Halloran and captain Gavin Duffy making up the back three

Connacht:G Duffy (capt); M McCrea, K Tonetti, D McSharry, T O'Halloran; N O'Connor, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, E Reynecke, R Loughney, M McCarthy, G Naoupu, D Gannon, J Muldoon, R Ofisa. Replacements: A Flavin, D Buckley, R Ah You, M Kearney, E McKeon, P O'Donohoe, M Jarvis, F Vainikolo

Munster:D Hurley; J Murphy, W Chambers, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O'Connell (capt); P O'Mahony, N Ronan, J Coughlan; Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, D Leamy, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.