Munster will retire the number 8 jersey for their Champions Cup showdown with Racing in honour of the late Anthony Foley
This weeks marks the 10th anniversary of the Killaloe man’s passing with the French side coming to Supervalu Pairc uí Chaoimh for tomorrow evenings opening tie
Brian Gleeson will wear the number 24 jersey for the game, with players also set to wear commemorative jackets on the day
The Shannon RFC choir will also perform a special rendition of “There Is An Isle” while the captains of both teams will swap jerseys featuring the number 8.
First year Academy out-half Charlie O’Shea and flanker Seán Edogbo start on their first Champions Cup appearances.
Max Clein and Ben O’Donovan, who both moved up from the Academy to the senior squad over the summer, are also set for their debuts in the competition as replacements.
Along with Edogbo, Jack Aungier, Tom Ahern, John Hodnett and Gleeson also join the forward pack.
Summer signings Aungier, Marnus van der Merwe and Kieran Brookes will all make their first Champions Cup appearances for Munster.
The back three of full-back Ben O’Connor and wingers Shay McCarthy and Seán O’Brien is unchanged.
Dan Kelly and Alex Nankivell continue their centre partnership with Craig Casey and O’Shea in the half-backs.
Jeremy Loughman, van der Merwe and Aungier pack down in the front row with Ahern and captain Tadhg Beirne in the engine room.
Edogbo, Hodnett and Gleeson complete the side.
Head Coach Clayton McMillan said: “The players are determined to put in a performance that Axel would be proud of. He is spoken about every day in our building and we are thinking of him and his family more than ever this week, 10 years on from his shock passing.
“While it will be an emotional day, the players know that the best way to honour his incredible legacy is to play the game with the right mentality and produce a committed team performance that shows how much they care for the jersey and the province.
“It’s exciting to see young players Seán Edogbo and Charlie O’Shea start on their Champions Cup debuts in another step forward in their development.
“Max Clein and Ben O’Donovan are two young men who moved up from the Academy to the senior squad in the summer and are named in a Champions Cup squad for the first time and we have every confidence in them if called upon.
“Marnus van der Merwe, Jack Aungier and Kieran Brookes are seasoned campaigners who have already played at this level. They get to do so with Munster for the first time tomorrow night and we have been really pleased with their contributions since joining in the summer.“
Munster Rugby: Ben O’Connor; Shay McCarthy, Alex Nankivell, Dan Kelly, Seán O’Brien; Charlie O’Shea, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Marnus van der Merwe, Jack Aungier; Tom Ahern, Tadhg Beirne (C); Seán Edogbo, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson.
Replacements: Max Clein, Josh Wycherley, Kieran Brookes, Fineen Wycherley, Gavin Coombes, Ben O’Donovan, JJ Hanrahan, Jack O’Donoghue.
