Keith Earls misses out on Munster’s trip to Racing

Munster have made just one changeto their starting XV for Sunday's Champions Cup opener away to Racing 92 at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir.

With Keith Earls still following return to play protocols, South African international Jaco Taute will make his European debut for the province at outside centre.

There was better news for Dave Kilcoyne who has now completed his return to play protocols and will start in the front row, while this weekend sees Tyler Bleyendaal and Darren Sweetnam also make their European debuts in the starting line up.

Academy graduates Brian Scott and Dan Goggin are also included in their first European matchday squads after being named on the bench.

It’s as you were in the pack with Kilcoyne joining Niall Scannell and John Ryan in the front row. Donnacha Ryan and Billy Holland partner up in the second row with captain Peter O’Mahony, Tommy O’Donnell and CJ Stander again forming the back row.

Bleyendaal makes his first European appearance alongside Conor Murray in the halfbacks with Taute and Rory Scannell forming a new centre partnership in the midfield.

A back three of Ronan O’Mahony, Darren Sweetnam and Simon Zebo completes the starting fifteen.

RACING 92: Brice Dulin; Joe Rokocoko, Henry Chavancy, Anthony Tuitavke, Juan Imhoff; Johannes Goosen, Maxime Machenaud (c); Eddy Ben Arous, Camille Chat, Ben Tameifuna, Leone Nakarawa, Manuel Carizza, Wenceslas Lauret, Yannick Nyanga, Chris Masoe.

Replacements: Virgile Lacombe, Viliamu Afatia, Cedate Gomes Sa, Francois van der Merwe, Thibault Dubarry, James Hart, Remi Tales, Albert Vulivuli.

MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Jaco Taute, Rory Scannell, Ronan O'Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland; Peter O'Mahony - capt., Tommy O'Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Duncan Casey, Brian Scott, Stephen Archer, Robin Copeland, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Dan Goggin.