Thaakir Abrahams starts for Munster while Keith Wood’s son Gordon is on the bench for Gloucester

The speedy full-back arrived from Lyon in the summer and joins Mike Haley and Liam Coombes in the back three, with former Ulster fly-half Billy Burns another new signing in the starting XV.

Burns partners academy scrum-half Jack Oliver, with Shane Daly an intriguing choice at outside centre where he partners Seán O’Brien.

Up front, Josh Wycherley and his brother Fineen are named in the tight five with Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer and Gavin Coombes, with Ruadhán Quinn, Alex Kendellen and captain Jack O’Donoghue in the back row.

Gordon Wood is set to follow in the footsteps of his father Keith and grandfather Gordon by featuring for the Munster senior team in their pre-season friendly against Gloucester tomorrow.

The young Garryowen centre will have the chance to impress off the bench against the English Premiership side as one of three club players named among the replacements along with UCC’s Conor Ryan and UL Bohs’ Luca Cleary.

They will be hoping to attract attention and follow compatriot Bryan Fitzgerald into the senior team, with Munster’s resources set to be tested in the opening weeks of the season which kicks off in two weeks’ time.

Munster: Mike Haley; Liam Coombes, Shane Daly, Sean O’Brien, Thaakir Abrahams; Billy Burns, Jack Oliver; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Gavin Coombes, Fineen Wycherley; Ruadhán Quinn, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue (centre).

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Scott Buckley, Eoghan Clarke, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Ronan Foxe, Conor Ryan, Jack Daly, Sean Edogbo, Luca Cleary, Tony Butler, Tom Farrell, Bryan Fitzgerald, Gordon Wood, Patrick Campbell.