Stander captains Munster in his final game at Thomond Park

The Munster side has been named for Friday’s PRO14 Rainbow Cup clash against Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park (7.35pm).

There are seven changes to the side as Mike Haley, Rory Scannell, Joey Carbery, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley and Tommy O’Donnell come into the starting XV.

CJ Stander captains the side in his final appearance at Thomond Park with Tommy O’Donnell and James Cronin also starting in their final Munster appearances at the ground.

Mike Haley starts at full-back as wingers Andrew Conway and Shane Daly keep their places. Rory Scannell starts at inside centre as Damian de Allende moves to the 13 jersey.

Craig Casey keeps his place at scrum-half and is joined by Joey Carbery in the half-backs. Cronin, Niall Scannell and Archer start in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Wycherley in the engine room.

Jack O’Donoghue, O’Donnell and Stander complete the side.

Munster: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Damian de Allende, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Joey Carbery, Craig Casey; James Cronin, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander (CAPT).

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Keynan Knox, Gavin Coombes, Peter O’Mahony, Nick McCarthy, Jack Crowley, Jack O’Sullivan.

Botham returns for Cardiff

Dai Young names a strong Cardiff team which sees James Botham return to the team for the first time since April

Young has made two changes to his starting line-up for the trip to Limerick, with flanker Botham, who last featured in the European Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat to London Irish, recovering from a recent calf injury to take his place in the back row alongside James Ratti and Josh Turnbull.

Utility forward Turnbull, who also captains the side at Thomond Park, will move to third in the Guinness PRO14’s top appearance makers, making his 207th Championship outing and over-taking former Edinburgh and Scotland hooker, Ross Ford.

The other change is made in the front row, as Corey Domachowski is recalled to the XV to link up with fellow homegrown talents, Kristian Dacey and Dillon Lewis.

Seb Davies and Cory Hill form an unchanged second row combination, while Young has also opted for an unchanged back-line, which includes British and Irish Lion in-waiting, Josh Adams.

Cardiff Blues: Hallam Amos; Jason Harries, Willis Halaholo, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Jarrod Evans, Tomos Williams; Corey Domachowski, Kristian Dacey, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Cory Hill, Josh Turnbull (capt.), James Botham, James Ratti

Replacements: Liam Belcher, Rhys Carré, Dmitri Arhip, Rory Thornton, Olly Robinson, Lloyd Williams, Harri Millard, Matthew Morgan.

Munster v Cardiff Blues – KO 19:35

Thomond Park, Limerick

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU 66th competition game)

Assistant Referees: Rob O'Sullivan, Nigel Correll (both IRFU)

TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Live on Premier Sports 1, eir Sport 1, SuperSport, ESPN+ (USA), pro14.tv.