Munster have made four changes from the team that beat Gloucester in the pre-season as they get their Magners League campaign underway with a clash against newcomers Aironi.
Last year's losing semi-finalists have enjoyed a mixed bag of results in the run up to the season and Tony McGahan has shuffled his pack as the Irish team look to get the season off to a positive start.
Mick O'Driscoll comes into the second row, with Donnacha Ryan switching to the blind-side flank, relegating Alan Quinlan to the bench. Lock Ian Nagle drops out of the matchday squad.
Denis Leamy continues to skipper the side in the absence of Paul O'Connell.
Aironi have also made four changes for their first game in the Mangers League, with wings Giulio Rubini and Giulio Toniolatti replacing Danwel Demas and Giovanbattista Venditti, neither of whom make it into the final 22.
In the forwards, Alberto De Marchi starts at loosehead prop in place of Andrea De Marchi who drops to the bench. The final change is on the flank where Jaco Erasmus replaces Nicola Cattina, another who misses out altogether.
Form: Munster have won all nine previous encounters they have had against Italian teams in all competitions. Aironi Rugby are a brand new team and duly become the 23rd different team to participate in the Magners League. Munster finished last season with a run of four successive defeats in all competitions. The Munstermen have win their last seven games at Musgrave Park since Glasgow won there, 21-18, in the Magners League on 10 May 2008.
The teams:
Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Johne Murphy, 11 Sam Tuitupou, 12 Ian Dowling, 10 Paul Warwick, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Denis Leamy 7 Niall Ronan, 6 Donnacha Ryan, 5 Billy Holland, 4 Mick O'Driscoll, 3 Tony Buckley, 2 Damien Varley, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Denis Fogarty, 17 Marcus Horan, 18 John Hayes, 19 Alan Quinlan, 20 Peter O'Mahony, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 Scott Deasy, 23 Danny Barnes
Aironi 15 Julien Laharrague, 14 Giulio Rubini, 13 Toberto Guartaroli, 12 Dylan des Fountain, 11 Giulio Toniolatti, 10 Ludovic Mercier, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Nick Williams 7 Gareth Krause, 6 Jaco Erasmus, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys (c), 4 Carlo Antonio Del Fava, 3 Salvatore Perugini, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Alberto De Marchi.
Replacements: 16 Andrea De Marchi, 17 Roberto Santamaria, 18 Luigi Milani, 19 Marco Bortolami, 20 Aldo Birchall, 21 Michael Wilson, 22 Alberto Benettin, 23 Gabriel Pizarro.
Date: Saturday, September 4
Venue: Musgrave Park
Kick-off: 19.30 BST (18.30 GMT)
Referee: Graham Knox (Scotland)
Assistant: Paul Haycock, David Connolly (Ireland).
TMO: Brian Fitzgerald (Ireland)
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