Nankivell starts & Bielle-Biarrey back for Bordeaux
France star Louis Bielle-Biarrey (right) has scored 25 tries in 22 games for club and country this season, including five in four Champions Cup outings
- Published
Munster centre Alex Nankivell will start Saturday's Champions Cup quarter-final against Bordeaux after his suspension was lifted.
Nankivell was handed a two-game suspension following his red card against Connacht last month and while he remained banned for last week's win over La Rochelle, his appeal was upheld on Thursday.
The New Zealand-born centre replaces Sean O'Brien in midfield with Josh Wycherley replacing the injured Jeremy Loughman at loose-head prop in the only other change from the win over La Rochelle.
Prolific France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey returns to the Bordeaux XV after missing the club's last-16 win over Ulster, but former Munster and Ireland fly-half Joey Carbery is not included in the squad as Matthieu Jalibert regains the 10 shirt.
Thaakir Abrahams, Calvin Nash and Andrew Smith form an unchanged back three while Jack Crowley, fresh off signing a contract extension, continues his half-back partnership with Craig Casey.
Wycherley joins Diarmuid Barron and Oli Jager in the front row, while Jean Kleyn and captain Tadhg Beirne continue in the second row.
Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes form the back row, while Mark Donnelly is included as one of the six forward replacements.
Donnelly has not played in the Champions Cup since December 2021, while prop Stephen Archer will earn his 300th Munster cap if called upon.
Bordeaux: J Echegaray; D Penaud, Y Moeffana, J Van Rensburg, L Bielle-Biarrey; M Jalibert, M Lucu; J Poirot, M Lamothe, B Tameifuna; A Coleman, C Cazeaux; M Diaby, G Petti, P Samu.
Replacements: C Sa, M Perchaud, S Falatea, P Bochaton, M Gazzotti, B Vergnes-Taillefer, Y Lesgourgues, P Uberti.
Munster: T Abrahams; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, A Smith; J Crowley, C Casey; J Wycherley, D Barron, O Jager; J Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); P O'Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes.
Replacements: N Scannell, M Donnelly, S Archer, F Wycherley, T Ahern, C Murray, S O'Brien, A Kendellen.