Ronan O'Gara will captain Munster when they resume their Magners League campaign against Llanelli at the newly-built Parc Y Scarlets tomorrow evening. With lock Paul O'Connell rested, Tony McGahan has handed leadership duties to his Ireland team-mate.
Denis Leamy, who left the pitch injured when making his first appearance of the season against the All Blacks last week, has recovered and takes his place at number eight.
The stalwart was one of four players to agree new terms with the IRFU yesterday and he is looking forward to a fresh start to his season.
"It was just a bit of a knock and they (management) took me off as a precaution more than anything else,"said Leamy today. "Thankfully I've fully recovered and looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. It's been a good week for me with the contract terms agreed and I'm delighted with the way the IRFU dealt with that.
"Now the opportunity is there to get myself back into the side with important games coming up, starting with this one on Friday."
Keith Earls has been chosen to replace the injured Rua Tipoki at outside centre, while Paul Warwick moves to fullback.
Tomás O'Leary partners O'Gara behind the scrum.
In the pack, Donnacha Ryan replaces O'Connell and lines up alongside Ireland team-mates Marcus Horan, Tony Buckley and Donncha O'Callaghan.
The league leaders will face some of the Scarlets' next generation, eager to get the new era in the €27 million stadium off to a bright start after 129 years at Stradey Park.
Injuries have left coach Nigel Davies with few options in the backline. He has opted to start 21-year-old Rhys Priestland at outhalf and Jon Davies (20) on the wing. Both featured prominently at the stadium's first game on November 15th, when Llanelli RFC beat Cardiff RFC 32-3.
In the pack hooker Ken Owens (21) starts, as does 23-year-old lock Dominic Day, while among the replacements are backrows Rob McCusker (23) and Johnathan Edwards (24).
Looking ahead to the meeting with McGahan's side, Davies said: "The Munster game is a big occasion as much as anything else. Arguably the final game at Stradey was the biggest game of our season, now you could argue that we've got an even bigger one.
"Munster are bringing a pretty much full-strength squad and that's great because they have an unprecedented pedigree in the professional game and it'll be a real test for us. They bring an intensity that's second to none and that has really helped to focus our minds."
Wing Darren Daniel will be replaced by Matthew Jacob if he fails a late fitness test tomorrow.
Scarlets: M Stoddart, D Daniel or M Jacob, R King, G Evans, J Davies, R Priestland, S Martens; I Thomas, K Owens, K Meeuws, V Cooper, D Day, N Thomas, S Easterby (c), D Lyons. Replacements: D Manu, M Schwalger, P John, R McCusker, J Edwards, G Cattle, C Thomas.
Munster: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, F Sheahan, T Buckley; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll; D Ryan, N Ronan, D Leamy. Replacements: D Fogarty, F Pucciariello, J Coughlan, J O'Sullivan, P Stringer, B Murphy, A Horgan.
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