Ciarán Frawley will make his home debut for Connacht in Champions Cup clash with Saracens on Saturday

Joey Carbery will return to Leinster colours for the first time in eight years after being named on the bench for the province’s opening Investec Champions Cup match against Clermont Auvergne in the Stade Marcel Michelin on Saturday (3.15, Irish time). He spent six years at Munster and two at Bordeaux Bègles.

The 30-year-old was due to play against the Sharks in a URC match in South Africa but suffered a tweak in training. Sam Prendergast starts at outhalf following his recent man of the match performance in the win over Cardiff.

There is no Jamison Gibson-Park, but he is back training, so Fintan Gunne starts at scrumhalf with Oliver Coffey on the bench. Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw have been named in midfield with Jamie Osborne among the replacements.

Dan Sheehan leads the team and a pack that’s long on quality. Young prospects Alex Usanov and Conor O’Tighearnaigh are included in the replacements that sees Scott Penny cover the backrow.

Leinster: H Keenan; T O’Brien, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J O’Brien; S Prendergast, F Gunne; A Porter, D Sheehan (capt), T Furlong; J McCarthy, J Ryan; R Baird, J van der Flier, J Conan. Replacements: R Kelleher, A Usanov, T Clarkson, C O’Tighearnaigh, S Penny, O Coffey, J Carbery, J Osborne.

Connacht welcome Saracens to the Dexcom Stadium (5.30) with Irish international Ciarán Frawley set to make his home debut at outhalf. Prop Thomas Connolly is set for a debut off the bench.

There’s a start for scrumhalf Colm Reilly alongside Frawley, while the centre partnership of Bundee Aki and Cathal Forde is unchanged. There’s an all-new back three from last week of fullback Sam Gilbert, and wingers Finn Treacy and Shane Jennings.

Cian Prendergast captains and is named in a backrow that includes Shamus Hurley-Langton and number eight Sean Jansen. There’s three changes in the tight five from last week’s game in Glasgow, with prop Francois van Wyk, hooker Matthew Victory and lock Josh Murphy coming into the starting XV. Tighthead Sam Illo and lock Darragh Murray complete the pack.

A predominantly young bench includes tighthead prop Connolly and academy winger Daniel Ryan.

Connacht: S Gilbert; F Treacy, C Forde, B Aki, S Jennings; C Frawley, C Reilly; F van Wyk, M Victory, S Illo; D Murray, J Murphy; C Prendergast (capt), S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen. Replacements: E de Buitléar, B Bohan, T Connolly, N Murray, S O’Brien, C Blade, J Ioane, D Ryan.

In the Challenge Cup Ulster travel to face Zebre at the Stadio Lanfranchi (3.15, Irish time) and head coach Richie Murphy has handed young hooker Henry Walker a first competitive start, while Daniel Hawkshaw makes his debut in a new look midfield alongside Jake Flannery.

David McCann captains last year’s beaten finalists for the first time. Ireland international prop Tom O’Toole makes his first start of the season at loosehead, with hooker Walker and Keynan Knox at tighthead prop.

Lock Harry Sheridan starts alongside Ireland international forward Cormac Izuchukwu in the secondrow, while academy forward James McKillop makes his European debut. Scrumhalf Nathan Doak pairs up with Jamie Benson at outhalf for the first time.

Zac Ward returns to start on the left wing this weekend, with Ireland internationals Robert Baloucoune on the right wing and Jacob Stockdale switching to fullback.

Murphy names a 5:3 split among the replacements, with prop Scott Wilson and forward Joe Hopes in line for their first appearances this season.

Ulster: J Stockdale; R Baloucoune, D Hawkshaw, J Flannery, Z Ward; J Benson, N Doak; T O’Toole, H Walker, K Knox; H Sheridan, C Izuchukwu; J McKillop, D McCann (capt), J Augustus. Replacements: T Stewart, E O’Sullivan, S Wilson, J Hopes, M Moloney, M Devine, J Murphy, M Lowry.