CJ Stander will captain Munster

CJ Stander will captain Munster in their opening Champions Cup clash with Treviso on Saturday at Thomond Park – kick off is 5.15pm. Nenagh's Donnacha Ryan packs down in the second row for the first time this season alongside Mark Chisholm.

Following his arrival last week Argentinean international Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino could make his first appearance for the province after being named amongst the replacements, while academy playmaker and Dolphin RFC clubman Rory Scannell will win his first European cap if sprung from the bench.

In other news Munster Rugby are pleased to confirm that BJ Botha's contract has been extended further, and the South-African tighthead prop will remain with the province until June 2016.

 

Munster: Andrew Conway; Keith Earls, Francis Saili, Denis Hurley, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry, BJ Botha; Donnacha Ryan, Mark Chisholm; Dave O'Callaghan, Jack O'Donoghue, CJ Stander – capt. Replacements: Duncan Casey, James Cronin, John Ryan, Dave Foley, Robin Copeland, Tomás O'Leary, Rory Scannell, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino.