Leinster bolster team for URC semifinal against Bulls
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has named his team to face the Bulls in Friday’s United Rugby Championship semifinal at the RDS Arena.
Cullen has opted to make two changes to the starting XV with Johnny Sexton also returning from injury to take his place among the replacements.
In the backs, Robbie Henshaw is in at No.12 alongside Garry Ringrose while the back three of Rory O’Loughlin, Jordan Larmour and Jimmy O’Brien is unchanged.
Ross Byrne and Jamison Gibson-Park maintain their spots in the halfbacks after last week’s 76-14 win over Glasgow Warriors.
In the pack, there’s both one personnel and one positional change.
Jack Conan comes back in at No8 with Caelan Doris shifting to the blindside and Josh van der Flier completes the back row.
It’s ‘as you were’ elsewhere in the pack with Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong across the front row while captain James Ryan and Academy lock Joe McCarthy are in the second row.
Ryan Baird and Ciarán Frawley go to the replacements bench where they are joined by Seán Cronin, Cian Healy, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, Luke McGrath and Sexton.
Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Jordan Larmour, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Rory O’Loughlin, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Caelan Doris, 5 James Ryan (captain), 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter.
Replacements: 16 Seán Cronin, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Michael Ala’alatoa, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Ryan Baird, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Johnny Sexton, 23 Ciarán Frawley.
Date: Friday, June 10
Venue: RDS Arena, Dublin
Kick-off: 19.35 (20.35 SA time; 18.35 GMT)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Craig Evans (Wales), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Matteo Lipperini (Italy)
