Fresh from their historic away victory at Leinster, Connacht have made four changes for the visit of Munster to the Sportsground tomorrow night (7.35pm).
In contrast - and, as expected - Munster supremo Johann van Graan has made wholesale changes, with only Shane Daly retained in the starting line-up from the side that lost at Ulster last weekend.
The big guns are back for Munster, with Peter O'Mahony returning as skipper.
Connacht's RDS win, coupled with Munster's defeat at the Kingspan Stadium, leaves the westerners eight points adrift of the Reds at the top of Conference B so it makes for a high-stakes encounter in Galway.
Andy Friend is handing Ben O'Donnell a first start for the clash and his inclusion in the back three is the only change to Connacht's backline.
In the pack, Finlay Bealham returns as tighthead prop while, having come off the bench at the RDS, Ultan Dillane starts in the second row alongside skipper Quinn Roux.
Friend is also boosted by the return of Sean O'Brien, who returns after six weeks out through injury.
Among the replacements include the returning Paul Boyle and Irish international Dave Heffernan, while a number of players who have spent the last period in self-isolation will return to training with the westerners next week.
Van Graan, meanwhile, has retained Daly, who shifts from full-back to the wing to accommodate the returning Mike Haley.
Also in the backline, Ben Healy is demoted to the bench as JJ Hanrahan starts at no 10 and Conor Murray at scrum-half to guide an experienced unit that includes Keith Earls, Chris Farrell and World Cup winner Damien de Allende.
In the forwards, James Cronin has recovered from an abdomen injury and makes his 100th appearance for the province.
Jean Kleyn and Tadhg Beirne form the second row partnership while Gavin Coombes, O’Mahony and CJ Stander make up the back row unit.
Fineen Wycherley is set to make his 50th appearance off the bench.
Connacht boss Friend remarked: “Last week’s win was a testament to the belief and determination that was still present in our squad despite a challenging few weeks.
"Now it’s all about backing that up and finding another win that will bring us right into contention for a Guinness PRO14 final spot.
"We’ve had a very positive week with no news COVID cases and a few players available to us again, but we will still have to be at our best to overcome a Munster side that is full of quality."
CONNACHT: Porch, O'Donnell, Arnold, Daly, Wootton, Carty, Blade; Buckley, Delahunt, Bealham, Dillane, Roux, O'Brien, Oliver, Masterson.
Replacements: Heffernan, Burke, Robertson-McCoy, Thornbury, Boyle, Marmion, Kilgallen, Sullivan.
MUNSTER: Haley, Earls, Farrell, de Allende, Daly, Hanrahan, Murray; Cronin, O’Byrne, Archer, Kleyn, Beirne, G Coombes, O’Mahony, Stander.
Replacements: N Scannell, J Wycherley, Knox, F Wycherley, Holland, McCarthy, Healy, R Scannell.
