Team news: Paul O'Connell will start on the bench when Munster visit Edinburgh tomorrow night as he continues his rehabilitation from a back injury.
O'Connell is hoping to use the game at Murrayfield to regain match fitness with a view to taking some part against Scotland in the Six Nations next weekend but will be limited to a role from the replacements bench.
Instead, Mick O'Driscoll will start alongside Darragh Ryan in the second-row as coach Declan Kidney chases the points to re-ignite their Celtic League push.
Peter Stringer, Tony Buckley and Alan Quinlan are all named in a strong starting line-up while Ian Dowling makes his long-awaited return on the wing.
"This is a huge game for us at what is a very important stage of the season," Kidney said today. "Their record here at Murayfield in both Magners League and Heineken Cup has been very impressive. They've built up good momentum and so we're under no illusions about the task we face.
"Earlier losses at home," continued Kidney, "means we have to win games on the road and this is never an easy place to come to do that. But our preparation has gone well, the lads have worked hard and I've no doubt they'll give it a good shot."
In Ulster, Stephen Ferris will make his first appearance since Ocotber when Matt Williams' side tackle the Dragons in Ravenhill.
Ferris endured a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury but is included in new coach William's first selection since taking charge of the Celtic League strugglers.
"Stephen has trained superbly and it is great to have him in the side," Williams said of Ferris's inclusion.
In-form winger Tommy Bowe and Neil Best, both involved in the Ireland set-up, have also been named in the starting line-up but fellow Irish internationals Rory Best and Paddy Wallace and Italy's Carlo del Fava are named among the replacements.
"The guys were really keen to come back and wanted to be involved. A couple of players, Neil Best and Tommy Bowe, spent a couple of hours with us on Monday morning and then had to shoot down to Dublin and come back up on Tuesday. It is pretty disruptive for the players but their efforts were fantastic."
Meanwhile, Johnny O'Connor and Gavin Duffy have been included in an extended 25-man Connacht squad for Saturday's match against the Ospreys.
Both had been involved in Ireland's Six Nations preparations but neither saw any game time and will be keen to get back into competitive action in Wales.
John Muldoon and John Fogarty have completed their recovery from injury and are also available for selection.
Munster: S Payne; D Howlett, R Tipoki, L Mafi, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, T Buckley; M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, A Quinlan, N Ronan, A Foley. Replacements: D Fogarty, Darragh Hurley, P O'Connell, J Coughlan, T O'Leary, J Manning, K Lewis.
Ulster: M Bartholomeusz; M McCrea, T Bowe, P Steinmetz, S Danielli; N O'Connor, I Boss; B Young, N Brady, D Fitzpatrick, R Caldwell, J Harrison, N Best, K Dawson, S Ferris. Replacements: R Best, J Fitzpatrick, C Del Fava, M McCullough, P Marshall, P Wallace, B Cunningham
Connacht squad: L Bibo, A Browne, M Deane, T Donnelly, G Duffy, A Dunne, A Farley, A Flavin, J Fogarty, D Gannon, R Loughney, M McCarthy, C McPhillips, J Merrigan, R Morris, M Mostyn, J Muldoon, J O'Connor, R Ofisa, C O'Loughlin, C Rigney, D Riordan, M Swift, B Wilkinson, A Wynne.
