Munster make plans without Horan

Rugby – Team news:Marcus Horan is the notable exception in the Munster line-up to take on Treviso in tomorrow night's Magners League game at Thomond Park (kick-off 7.45pm).

Horan broke a bone in his hand during a gym session on Monday and is likely to be sidelined for four to six weeks. The injury also rules him out of Ireland's autumn internationals. Jerry Flannery is also ruled out for the province after travelling to Melwood in Liverpool for a second opinion on his injured calf.

Captain Denis Leamy has been rested after an exhaustive run of six appearances in Munster’s seven outings to date. Niall Ronan is also rested after featuring strongly in early part of the season.

Leamy's place at number eight goes to James Coughlan, who came off the bench to score a try during Munster’s comprehensive Heineken Cup win over Toulon.

Scott Deasy will make his first league start of the season from fullback. Previously he has come off the bench on three occasions and was in the match day 22 against Leinster and for Munster’s opening Heineken Cup games.

The Treviso line-up shows several changes after their two Heineken Cup defeats. Coach Franco Smith has brought in Brendan Williams and Ludovico Nitoglia, while Andrew Vilk and Ezio Galon form a new-look centre partnership. The halfback line-up is also changed as Fabio Semenzato and Kristopher Burton both start.

Frontrow changes show Ignacio Fernandez Rouyet moving on the right side and Franco Sbaraglini on the left, while hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini captains the side.

Secondrow is filled by Enrico Pavanello and Valerio Bernabò, while flankers Benjamin Vermaak and Francesco Minto will make their debuts in the Magners League.

Robert Barbieri will start at number eight, while hooker Enrico Ceccato and prop Augusto Allori serve as cover from the bench.

Munster team (v Treviso):S Deasy; D Howlett, K Earls, J Murphy, D Hurley; R O'Gara, P Stringer; W du Preez, D Varley, J Hayes; M O'Driscoll, D Ryan; A Quinlan, D Wallace, J Coughlan. Replacements: M Sherry, Darragh Hurley, T Buckley, D O'Callaghan, P O'Mahony, D Williams, P Warwick, I Dineen

Treviso team (v Munster):B Williams, L Nitoglia, E Galon, A Vilk, B De Jager, K Burton, F Semenzato, R Barbieri, B Vermaak, F Minto, V Bernabò, E Pavanello, I Fernandez Rouyet, L Ghiraldini (capt), F Sbaraglini. Replacements: E Ceccato, A Allori, P Di Santo, A Pavanello, M Filippucci, T Benvenuti, T Botes, S Picone