Joey Carbery will begin from the bench as Munster face Cheetahs in their Pro14 opener in Thomond Park on Saturday evening (5.15pm).

The Irish international departed for Leinster for Munster in a highly publicised move earlier this summer and, following his exertions with Ireland in the tour of Australia, will start on the sideline as JJ Hanrahan is named as starting out-half.

New signings Arno Botha, Mike Haley and Neil Cronin have been handed their Pro14 debuts while academy graduate and international sevens player Shane Daly will make his first competitive start for the province on the wing.

Completing the half-back partnership with Hanrahan is Neil Cronin, who last featured in the competition almost three and a half years ago.

Munster: Mike Haley; Darren Sweetnam, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan, Neil Cronin; Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland (C); Dave O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, Arno Botha.

Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Brian Scott, Stephen Archer, Darren O’Shea, Gavin Coombes, James Hart, Joey Carbery, Sammy Arnold.

Ulster's new-look backline will get a run out in their opening Pro14 clash against 2017-18 runners up Scarlets in Kingspan Stadium on Saturday evening (5.15pm).

New signings Will Addison, Billy Burns and Henry Speight all make their debuts after being named in the starting XV.

Billy Burns, signed from Gloucester in the summer, starts in the outhalf berth, former Sale Sharks captain Will Addison is named at full back, while Aussie winger Henry Speight also makes his competitive debut for the province.

Ulster's new full back Will Addison in action during pre-season

John Cooney and Iain Henderson return to the starting team, neither having featured much in Ulster's pre-season.

Under new head coach Dan McFarland will look to banish the memory of a traumatic 2017-18 season in which the only real bright spark was Champions Cup qualification.

Ulster: Will Addison; Craig Gilroy, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Henry Speight; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor (captain), Iain Henderson, Marcell Coetzee, Sean Reidy, Nick Timoney

Replacements: Adam McBurney, Eric O’Sullivan, Ross Kane, Kieran Treadwell, Chris Henry, Dave Shanahan, Angus Curtis, Angus Kernohan.

New Connacht coach Andy Friend has named recent signing Kyle Godwin at centre for Connacht's Pro14 opener against Glasgow Warriors in the Sportsground on Saturday afternoon (3.00pm).

Godwin, who left the Brumbies for Galway in the summer on a two-year contract, starts alongside Tom Farrell in the centre.

New Connacht coach Andy Friend

21 year old academy graduate Paul Boyle is named in the back row alongside newly appointed captain Jarrad Butler.

Former Harlequins coach Friend is eager to see the Sportsground atmosphere in his first competitive match in charge.

"We’ve had three good pre-season games. You don’t win championships in pre-season, but you can lose them. We’re at the start line in pretty good shape but it’s what we do from here that’s important... I have heard so much about the atmosphere that our fans create in the Sportsground and I can’t wait to experience it on Saturday."

Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran, Cian Kelleher, Kyle Godwin, Tom Farrell, Matt Healy, Jack Carty, Caolin Blade, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, James Cannon, Paul Boyle, Jarrad Butler, Eoin McKeon.

Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Peter McCabe, Conor Carey, Quinn Roux, Cillian Gallagher, James Mitchell, Craig Ronaldson, Niyi Adeolokun.

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