Buckley is joined by captain Dave Heffernan and Finlay Bealham in the front row, while Joe Joyce partners Thornbury.
Prendergast comes in at the number 8 position with flankers Shamus Hurley-Langton and Conor Oliver retained.
Also keeping his place is scrum-half Matthew Devine, while JJ Hanrahan starts at out-half against his old club.
Bundee Aki and Tom Farrell are paired together at centre, while a reshuffled back three sees O’Halloran come in at full-back, Shane Jennings, who has just renewed his contract for the 2024/25 season, move to the right wing and John Porch shifting sides to the left.
There’s just the one change to the 6:2 bench named last week, with Dylan Tierney-Martin coming in for his potential first game back since suffering neck injury three months ago.
Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran; Shane Jennings, Tom Farrell, Bundee Aki, John Porch; JJ Hanrahan, Matthew Devine; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan (capt), Finlay Bealham; Joe Joyce, Gavin Thornbury; Shamus Hurley-Langton, Conor Oliver, Cian Prendergast.
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Peter Dooley, Sam Illo, Oisín Dowling, Jarrad Butler, Caolin Blade, Cathal Forde, Paul Boyle.
Leinster have made a number of changes from the team that lost to the Lions last weekend, with hooker Gus McCarthy (above) in line to make his debut against the Stormers on Saturday (6.05pm).
Both Charlie Tector and Martin Moloney, meanwhile, are in line to make their first appearance of the season after long-standing injury issues.
Head coach Leo Cullen has named a back three of Henry McErlean, Liam Turner and Rob Russell for the match in Cape Town, with Charlie Ngatai and Ben Brownlee lining up at centre.
Cormac Foley and Sam Prendergast are the starting half-backs.
In the front row, Michael Milne, John McKee and Michael Ala'alatoa start, with Brian Deeny and Jason Jenkins selected in the second row.
Deeny was selected to start last week but was a late withdrawal through injury but has come through the week well.
Rhys Ruddock, captain Scott Penny and Max Deegan complete the pack.
McCarthy is in line to make his debut should he be introduced.
The 20-year-old captained the Ireland U-20s that won the Grand Slam in 2023 and reached the World Championship final in South Africa.
Leinster: Henry McErlean; Liam Turner, Ben Brownlee, Charlie Ngatai, Rob Russell; Sam Prendergast, Cormac Foley; Michael Milne, John McKee, Michael Ala’alatoa; Brian Deeny, Jason Jenkins; Rhys Ruddock, Scott Penny (capt), Max Deegan.
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Ed Byrne, Thomas Clarkson, Conor O’Tighearnaigh, Diarmuid Mangan, Fintan Gunne, Charlie Tector, Martin Moloney.
Meanwhile, there is one change to Munster side that beat Bulls last weekend as Seán O'Brien (above) makes his first start at inside centre for their clash against the Lions in Johannesburg (4pm).
Full-back Simon Zebo and wingers Calvin Nash and Shane Daly start together in the back three.
O’Brien and Antoine Frisch partner up in midfield for the first time with Conor Murray and Jack Crowley in the half-backs.
The pack is unchanged with Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell and Stephen Archer in the front row. Archer, Munster’s most-capped player of all-time, makes his 280th appearance.
RG Snyman and captain Tadhg Beirne continue their partnership in the engine room with Peter O’Mahony, Alex Kendellen and Jack O’Donoghue completing the side.
Eoghan Clarke, John Wycherley and Oli Jager provide the front row back-up with Tom Ahern and Gavin Coombes completing the forward cover.
Craig Casey, Joey Carbery and Mike Haley are the backline replacements.
Haley is in line for his first appearance off the bench for Munster on his 103rd appearance.
Casey was removed against Bulls last week following a HIA. The Ireland scrum-half has followed the protocols and returned to training on Tuesday having remained symptom-free throughout.
John Hodnett misses out due to a leg knock.
Munster: Simon Zebo; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Seán O'Brien, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; RG Snyman, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Peter O'Mahony, Alex Kendellen, Jack O'Donoghue.
Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Josh Wycherley, Oli Jager, Tom Ahern, Gavin Coombes, Craig Casey, Joey Carbery, Mike Haley.
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