Mick O’Driscoll partners Billy Holland in the Munster second row for Saturday’s Magners League meeting with Aironi.
The Italian outfit make their bow in the competition against the Irish big guns, who are without many of their big names, while Alan Quinlan will sit among the replacements.
Donncha Ryan starts as blindside flanker, with Niall Ronan at openside and Denis Leamy captaining the side from number eight, as he has been doing in pre-season.
Peter Stringer and Paul Warwick provide experience in the out-half positions, while Doug Howeltt and Ian Dowling start on the wings and Felix Jones is at full back. Johne Murphy, signed from Leicester Tigers, is in the centre.
Vastly experienced prop pair John Hayes and Marcus Horan join Quinlan on the bench.
New boys Aironi bring in wings Giulio Rubini and Giulio Toniolatti, and forwards Alberto De Marchi and Jaco Erasmus, to the team that faced Northampton Saints in a pre-season game a week ago.
Italy internationals Fabio Ongaro and Salvatore Perugini are in the front row. Captain Quintin Geldenhuys partners former Ulster man Carlo Del Fava in the second row, while ex-Munster star Nick Williams is at number eight.
Julien Laharrague, the 12-times capped France international, plays at full back, while fly-half Ludovic Mercier fit to start after picking up a slight ankle knock against the Saints.
Munster: Felix Jones; Doug Howlett, Sam Tuitupou, Johne Murphy, Ian Dowling; Paul Warwick, Peter Stringer; Wian du Preez, Damien Varley, Tony Buckley; Mick O'Driscoll, Billy Holland; Donncha Ryan, Niall Ronan, Denis Leamy (capt).
Replacements: Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Alan Quinlan, Peter O'Mahony, Duncan Williams, Scott Deasy, Danny Barnes
Aironi: Julien Laharrague; Giulio Rubini, Roberto Quartaroli, Dylan Des Fountain, Giulio Toniolatti; Ludovic Mercier, Tito Tebaldi; Alberto De Marchi, Fabio Ongaro, Salvatore Perugini; Carlo Del Fava, Quintin Geldenhuys; Jaco Erasmus, Gareth Krause, Nick Williams.
Replacements: Andrea De Marchi, Roberto Santamaria, Luigi Milani, Marco Bortolami, Aldo Birchall, Michael Wilson, Alberto Benettin, Gabriel Pizarro.