19 year old lock Edwin Edogbo starts for Munster

The Munster side has been named for Saturday night’s round 5 United Rugby Championship clash against Bulls at Thomond Park (7.35pm).

The game is Munster’s first match at Thomond Park this season. A scheduled upgrade of the playing surface at Thomond Park was completed over the summer as a hybrid pitch with reinforced turf technology, similar to the Aviva Stadium, was installed.

19-year-old lock Edwin Edogbo makes his first start for Munster while fellow Greencore Munster Rugby Academy player Patrick Campbell starts at fullback.

Second year Academy player Edogbo, who came up through the ranks at Cobh Pirates and plays his AIL rugby with UCC, missed all of last season with an Achilles tendon injury but has already made three URC appearances as a replacement this season.

Shane Daly earns his 50th Munster cap while seven of the nine Munster players who missed the last three games due to the Emerging Ireland tour come straight into the squad.

Academy man Patrick Campbell reverts to his more familiar role at full-back with Calvin Nash and Shane Daly returning from South Africa to start on either flank. Dan Goggin and Malakai Fekitoa continue their centre partnership with a new half-back pairing of Craig Casey and Joey Carbery. Carbery starts at out-half for the first time this season after filling in at full-back last week.

Jeremy Loughman starts for the first time this season with Stephen Archer also coming into the side as Niall Scannell completes the front row. Jean Kleyn and Edwin Edogbo start in the engine room with Tadhg Beirne moving to the back row alongside captain Peter O’Mahony and Gavin Coombes

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Diarmuid Barron, Roman Salanoa, Tom Ahern, Jack Crowley and John Hodnett are all named among the replacements on their return from Emerging Ireland duty.

Munster: Patrick Campbell; Calvin Nash, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Goggin, Shane Daly; Joey Carbery, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Edwin Edogbo; Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony (C), Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Dave Kilcoyne, Roman Salanoa, Tom Ahern, Jack O’Donoghue, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, John Hodnett.