Sheehan Switches to Number Eight for Leinster v Munster Derby

Leinster captain Dan Sheehan will play at number eight for the first time when his side meets Munster in Saturday's United Rugby Championship derby, according to BBC Sport.

The number eight is the big back-row forward who packs in at the back of the scrum, picks the ball up when it comes out and often carries into contact. Sheehan is normally a hooker, the forward who throws the ball in at lineouts and wins the ball in the scrum. Moving him to the back row is a bold call, and it is a rare sight for a player of his standing.

Hooker Ronan Kelleher takes over from Sheehan in Leinster's starting side. Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has made four changes after his side beat Clermont Auvergne 48-23 in the Champions Cup.

Jamison Gibson-Park is back for Leinster, and it will be his first appearance of the season. Gibson-Park plays scrum-half, the player who passes the ball from the forwards to the backs and keeps the game moving at speed. Joey Carbery starts for the first time since rejoining Leinster, while Sam Prendergast is not in the starting line-up.

Munster have made seven changes from the side that beat Racing 92 in the Champions Cup. The most eye-catching is Sean O'Brien, who moves from the wing to outside centre. Outside centre is the midfield back who runs hard lines, tackles in the gap and takes the ball into the defensive line. O'Brien will also make his 50th appearance for Munster.

The match is at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday 24 October, with a 6pm kick-off, or 18:00 BST. Leinster Rugby has promoted the fixture as a meeting of the two provinces' best.

For a neutral, the most interesting part of the team sheets is how both coaches have shuffled their players around rather than simply picking their strongest eleven. Sheehan at number eight could give Leinster another carrier and a leader in the loose, though how it works will only become clear once the game starts.