Clash of the Titans.

The Munster team has been named for Saturday’s clash against Crusaders at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (kick-off 5pm).

Alex Kendellen captains Munster for the first time with Academy trio Ethan Coughlan, Shay McCarthy and Ruadhán Quinn all starting. It will be Quinn’s first start for Munster after becoming the province’s youngest player in the professional era at the age of 18 last season.

Hooker Eoghan Clarke also makes his first start for the province and Jack O’Sullivan starts for the first time this season at no.8.

Out-half Joey Carbery is in the starting XV for the first time since October after returning from a wrist injury last month.Full-back Daly, Seán O’Brien and McCarthy make up the back three.

Christchurch native Alex Nankivell and Antoine Frisch continue their centre partnership with Coughlan and Carbery in the half-backs. Josh Wycherley, Clarke and Stephen Archer pack down in the front row with Coombes and Fineen Wycherley in the engine room.

Quinn, Kendellen and O’Sullivan complete the starting XV.

A 10-man replacements bench includes Academy players Mark Donnelly, Daniel Okeke and Tony Butler.

Colm Hogan is in line to make his Munster debut off the bench after joining the province in November.

19-year-old Cork Constitution lock/back-row forward Kamil Nowak is also in line for his Munster debut. Nowak, whose twin brother Dawid is also a Cork Constitution man, played underage rugby at Midleton RFC and schools rugby with CBC. He lined out for the Munster U19s in 2022.

Scott Buckley, Donnelly and John Ryan provide the front row cover with Nowak, Jack Daly and Okeke completing the forward cover.

Daly is set for his first cap since 2022 after missing all of last season and a number of months this year through injury with Okeke in line for his first appearance since his debut in 2021.

Tony Butler, Rory Scannell and Hogan are the backline replacements.

Munster: Shane Daly; Seán O’Brien, Antoine Frisch, Alex Nankivell, Shay McCarthy; Joey Carbery, Ethan Coughlan; Josh Wycherley, Eoghan Clarke, Stephen Archer; Gavin Coombes, Fineen Wycherley; Ruadhán Quinn, Alex Kendellen (C), Jack O’Sullivan.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Mark Donnelly, John Ryan, Kamil Nowak, Jack Daly, Daniel Okeke, Neil Cronin, Tony Butler, Rory Scannell, Colm Hogan.

The Crusaders, meanwhile, have included the likes of All Black Owen Franks and Wales legend Leigh Halfpenny in their team.