Simon Zebo will start for Munster in his final home game for the Irish province when they host Edinburgh in their Pro14 play-off at Thomond Park.

The return of the full-back, who joins Racing 92 in June, is one of 12 changes from the side that drew with Ulster.

Edinburgh centres Chris Dean and Mark Bennett both return along with full-back Blair Kinghorn.

The winning side will travel to play Champions Cup finalists Leinster in the Pro14 semi-final in Dublin on 19 May.

Zebo will be partnered in the back three by fellow Irish internationals Keith Earls and Andrew Conway while the influential Conor Murray returns at scrum-back.

Fly-half JJ Hanrahan, centre Sammy Arnold and prop James Cronin at the three Munster players to retain their starting roles.

Forwards Gerbrandt Grobler and Robin Copeland, who will also leave Munster at the end of the season, are named among the replacements.

Edinburgh secured their first appearance in the Pro14 play-offs with back-to-back wins against Scarlets and Glasgow Warriors to finish in third place in Conference B.

Injury and illness sidelined Dean and Kinghorn respectively in the hours leading up to Saturday’s derby victory, but both have overcome their problems, while Bennett has won a recall.

Head coach Richard Cockerill expects his side to be the underdogs on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a big day for us and we have earned the right to be there – the league table doesn’t lie,” said Cockerill.

“We can beat them if we get it right. We played a Munster second team in March, so we expect to face a different side tomorrow.

“They have world class players and are a different force at home. We’re looking forward to it and these are the challenges we want.

“We know if we play at our best, we will give ourselves opportunities to beat Munster.

“The chances are that they should win, however, they are at home and have just dropped out of Europe, so there is a bit of pressure on them.”

Munster: S Zebo; A Conway, S Arnold, R Scannell, K Earls; JJ Hanrahan, C Murray; J Cronin, R Marshall, S Archer, J Kleyn, B Holland, P O’Mahony (capt), J O’Donoghue, CJ Stander.

Replacements: M Sherry, D Kilcoyne, C Parker, G Grobler, R Copeland, J Hart, I Keatley, D Sweetnam.

Edinburgh: B Kinghorn; D Fife, M Bennett, C Dean, D van der Merwe; J van der Walt, S Hidalgo-Clyne; J Lay, S McInally (capt), S Berghan, B Toolis, G Gilchrist, M Bradbury, J Ritchie, B Mata.

Replacements: N Cochrane, A Dell, WP Nel, L Carmichael, C du Preez, N Fowles, D Weir, J Johnstone.

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)

Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick Date: Saturday, 5 May Kick-off: 15:15 BST/16:15 SAST

Scarlets v Cheetahs

Wales hooker Ken Owens returns to Scarlets’ starting line-up to lead them in Saturday’s Pro14 play-off quarter-final against Cheetahs.

Tom Prydie also comes in at right wing for the hosts while John Barclay is back to start at number eight.

Full-back Clayton Bommetjies and number eight Uzair Cassiem are due to start for Cheetahs against the team they will join for 2018-19.

The visitors also include former Racing 92 fly-half Johan Goosen.

Goosen starts after making his comeback to professional rugby earlier this month.

The 25-year-old announced his retirement in December 2016, despite having signed a deal with French club Racing 92 until 2020.

Niel Marais moves to the centre, while Clinton Swart drops to the bench.

Fitness test for Blommetjies

However, Blommetjies is subject to a late fitness test.

Ryan Elias makes way for Owens, Prydie takes over on the right wing from Ioan Nicholas and Barclay is back as Will Boyde joins Elias on the bench.

Prop Wyn Jones and back-row Aaron Shingler come onto the home bench.

Wayne Pivac’s side finished second in Conference B on the same number of points as table-toppers Leinster.

Their bonus-point win over Dragons on Saturday ensured a home knock-out against Cheetahs.

The winners’ reward will be a semi-final at Glasgow, who topped Conference A.

In the other half of the draw Munster host Edinburgh, with Leinster awaiting the winner.

Cheetahs impress Pivac

Pivac said he has been impressed by Cheetahs’ inaugural season in the Pro14.

“It has been a very credible one and they’re going to be a very difficult opponent on the weekend.

“They’ve done the hard slog, like we did last year, to make their first play-off game and have given themselves every opportunity.

“It’s an 80 minute performance so we’re going to have to make sure that we play very well.

“They play an open and expansive game which we like watching and we like playing.”

Pivac said he admired Cheetahs’ Blommetjies and Cassiem, but he admits his side would not be going easy on them.

“We’ll be trying to knock the heck out of them,” he joked.

Another sell-out in Llanelli?

He is also hoping for a repeat sell-out crowd after the La Rochelle European quarter-final win at Parc y Scarlets.

“If it’s going to be anything like that, it’s something to look forward to,” he said.

“If we could sell the place out that would be ideal, it was such a great atmosphere.

“If yesterday was anything to go by we had queues right around the car park. We hope that continues and that we have a massive crowd to get behind the boys.

“It really does lift them playing at home.”

Cheetahs coach Rory Duncan said there was a great deal of excitement going into the game.

“It’s obviously a special game for us, I don’t think there’s any moving away from the guys realising that they’re in the play-offs.”

He said the Scarlets are “a quality outfit” with “some great players”.

Scarlets: Halfpenny; Prydie, S Williams, Parkes, S Evans; Patchell, G Davies; R Evans, Owens (capt), Lee, Rawlins, Cummins, Beirne, J Davies, Barclay.

Replacements: Elias, Jones, Kruger, Shingler, Boyde, J Evans, D Jones, Hughes.

Cheetahs: Blommetjies; Small-Smith, Venter (capt), Marais, Maxwane; Goosen, Meyer; Nche, van Jaarsveld, Coetzee, Wegner, Bernardo, Schoeman, Mohoje, Cassiem.

Replacements: du Toit, Marais, Botha, Hugo, Venter, Mkhabela, Swart, Greeff.

Referee: George Clancy (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Frank Murphy (IRFU), Mike Adamson (SRU)

TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli Date: Saturday, 5 May Kick-off: 18:35 BST/19:35 SAST

bbc