Preview: Leinster v Connacht
Leinster welcome back captain Leo Cullen to their starting line-up for Saturday's Magners League clash with Connacht at the RDS.
Leinster welcome back captain Leo Cullen to their starting line-up for Saturday's RDS clash with Connacht.
The second-row joins fellow Ireland internationals Shane Jennings, Malcolm O'Kelly and Mike Ross in the pack alongside Rhys Ruddock, who makes his second appearance for the province, and his home debut, after leading the Ireland U20's to the Six Nations title last weekend.
Eoin Reddan links up at half-back with Jonathan Sexton, with Shaun Berne shifting to inside centre. Girvan Dempsey, a try scorer in the 20-14 victory over Glasgow last time out, starts on the right wing to accommodate the return of Rob Kearney from international duty. Kearney starts at full-back with Isa Nacewa continuing on the left wing.
Meanwhile, their opponents from Galway make eight changes to their side that overcame the Dragons in the recent Magners League match.
Four of the alterations come in the backs with Brian Tuohy, Aidan Wynne, Miah Nikora and Frank Murphy returning to the side.
Having impressed for the province's 'A' team in last week's win over the Ulster Ravens, winger Tuohy comes in to make his first Magners League appearance since last October.
Wynne slots in at outside centre, taking the place of the injured Niva Ta'auso (knee), while there are straight swops at half-back with Ian Keatley and Conor O'Loughlin on bench duty.
Up front, Robbie Morris, Bernie Upton, Mike McComish and Johnny O'Connor have been chosen to start.
With team captain John Muldoon unavailable due to a groin injury and his back row colleague Ray Ofisa also injured, McComish and O'Connor have taken their places in the starting line-up.
New Zealander Upton has been preferred in the second row to Connacht's record caps holder Michael Swift, while recent Six Nations debutant Sean Cronin has been included among the replacements.
Fellow Ireland international Gavin Duffy will captain Connacht in Muldoon's absence.
Form: Connacht have won just one of their last ten encounters with Leinster, and have not won in Dublin since a 26-23 victory at Donnybrook on 13 September 2002. Leinster top the Magners League table and have not suffered a defeat in any competition since they visited Newport Gwent Dragons in the Magners League on 6 December. The Leinstermen continue to be formidable at the RDS with a dozen straight victories there in the Magners League. Connacht secured a third victory of the Magners League season against the Dragons on St Patrick's Day, but have not won back to back matches in the competition since the opening two rounds in season 2006/07.
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Girvan Dempsey, 13 Fergus McFadden, 12 Shaun Berne, 11 Isa Nacewa, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Stephen Keogh, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Rhys Ruddock, 5 Malcolm O'Kelly, 4 Leo Cullen (capt), 3 Mike Ross, 2 John Fogarty, 1 Stan Wright.
Replacements: 16 Bernard Jackman, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Devin Toner, 19 Paul Ryan, 20 Paul O'Donohoe, 21 Eoin O'Malley, 22 Simon Keogh.
Connacht: 15 Gavin Duffy (capt), 14 Brian Tuohy, 13 Aidan Wynne, 12 Keith Matthews, 11 Fionn Carr, 10 Miah Nikora, 9 Frank Murphy, 8 George Naoupu, 7 Johnny O'Connor, 6 Mike McComish, 5 Bernie Upton, 4 Mike McCarthy, 3 Robbie Morris, 2 Adrian Flavin, 1 Brett Wilkinson.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jamie Hagan, 18 Michael Swift, 19 Andrew Browne, 20 Conor O'Loughlin, 21 Ian Keatley, 22 Troy Nathan.
Date: Saturday, March 27
Kick-off: 16:30
Venue: RDS
Referee: Jerome Garces (FFR)
Assistant Referees: S McDowell (IRFU), J Quinn (IRFU)
TMO: Peter Ferguson (IRFU)