Provinces ring the changes

Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has made three changes to his Munster side for Saturday's Champions Cup clash against Racing 92.

Keith Earls has been ruled out of the game after taking a knock to the ribs in training earlier this week and his place on the wings goes to Ronan O'Mahony with Simon Zebo and Andrew Conway retaining their positions in the back three.

Rory Scannell and Jaco Taute are once again named in midfield as Conor Murray and Tyler Bleyendaal start in the half-backs.

Niall Scannell and John Ryan continue in the front row but they are joined by James Cronin with Dave Kilcoyne dropping to the bench.

Donnacha Ryan will lock down alongside Jean Kleyn in the second row as Tommy O'Donnell comes in to join Peter O'Mahony and CJ Stander in the back row.

Munster (XV v Racing 92): S Zebo; A Conway, J Taute, R Scannell, R O'Mahony; T Bleyendaal, C Murray; J Cronin, N Scannell, J Ryan; J Kleyn, D Ryan; P O'Mahony, T O'Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: R Marshall, D Kilcoyne, T du Toit, B Holland, J O'Donoghue, D Williams, I Keatley, F Saili.

Connacht have made five changes to the team that beat Zebre last weekend for Sunday's crunch tie against Toulouse.

The back three of Tiernan O'Halloran, Niyi Adeolokun and Matt Healy is retained but Peter Robb has been called into the starting team to join Craig Ronaldson in the centre. Jack Carty has recovered from injury to start at outhalf alongside Kieran Marmion.

Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney and Finlay Bealham are named in the front row as Quinn Roux returns to partner James Cannon in the second row.

The final changes see Nepia Fox-Matamua and Jake Heenan named in the back row alongside John Muldoon.

Connacht (XV v Toulouse): T O'Halloran; N Adeolokun, P Robb, C Ronaldson, M Healy; J Carty, K Marmion; D Buckley, T McCartney, F Bealham, Q Roux, J Cannon, N Fox-Matamua, J Heenan, J Muldoon.

Replacements: D Heffernan, JP Cooney, J Andress, S O'Brien, N Dawai, J Cooney, T Farrell, D Poolman.

There are six changes to the Ulster starting XV for the visit of Union Bordeaux Bègles to the Kingspan Stadium.

Defeat to Exeter Chiefs last weekend means Ulster's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals are all but over but director of rugby Les Kiss will be hoping to sign off with victory on Saturday.

Charles Piutau moves to full-back as Tommy Bowe returns to the starting line-up on the right wing and Andrew Trimble named on the left.

Darren Cave has been recalled to the starting XV to join Stuart McCloskey in the centre as Dave Shanahan and Paddy Jackson are named in the half-back line.

Jonny Simpson will make his first start for the province after being named at tighthead alongside Rory Best and Andrew Warwck, while Robbie Diack and Franco van der Merwe will start together in the second row for the first time.

The back row of Iain Henderson, Chris Henry and Sean Reidy is retained.

Ulster (XV v Union Bordeaux Begles): C Piutau; T Bowe, D Cave, S McCloskey, A Trimble; P Jackson, D Shanahan; A Warwick, R Best, J Simpson, R Diack, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, C Henry, S Reidy.

Replacements: J Andrew, C Black, R Lutton, K Treadwell, C Ross, P Marshall, B Herron, C Gilroy.