Preview: Leinster v Glasgow
Ollie le Roux will partner Stan Wright and Bernard Jackman for the match against Glasgow in the Magners League on Friday.
Ollie le Roux will partner Stan Wright and Bernard Jackman for the match against Glasgow in the Magners League on Friday.
Chris Whitaker partners Felipe Contepomi at half-back, while Leo Cullen returns from injury to captain the side and links up with Malcolm O'Kelly in the second row.
Shane Horgan is named in a strong outside backline alongside fellow Ireland stars Luke Fitzgerald and Rob Kearney who is named at full-back.
Keith Gleeson, who recently announced his retirement from the game at the end of the current campaign, is named in the back-row alongside Shane Jennings and Jamie Heaslip.
Two vacancies have been left on the replacements bench which will be confirmed closer to kick-off. But one player who has been included is Jonathan Sexton who also returns from a hand injury sustained away to Leicester in January.
Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors have made four changes to the side that ran out 9-6 victors over reigning Magners League champions, the Ospreys, at Firhill Arena three weeks ago.
In the back division, there are two changes. Thom Evans returns to match fitness and replaces his older brother Max on the left wing whilst Colin Gregor comes in for Dan Parks who is rested following international duty for Scotland during the Six Nations Championship.
In the pack, Dougie Hall returns to the hooker's jersey and Dan Turner lines up alongside Andy Newman in the second row as a direct replacement for injured club captain Alastair Kellock.
In the absence of Kellock on the field, Daryl Gibson will take over captaincy duties.
“Our last game against Leinster was a close one at Firhill and we only clinched it with a score very late on so this weekend is going to be tough, especially against the League leaders,” said coach Sean Lineen.
“We are missing a few key players this weekend, but we have trained well over the international break and all the boys are looking forward to getting back to business tomorrow night.”
Form: Table-topping Leinster continue to set the pace in the Magners League and have won their last seven matches in the competition since drawing 16-16 in Ulster on 26 October. Leinster have suffered just one home defeat in their last 29 matches in all competitions: 23-52 to the Scarlets in the Magners League on 5 October. The only Scottish side ever to have beaten Leinster in Dublin in a competitive match is Edinburgh, who have done so twice in the League in 2003 and 2005. Glasgow Warriors ended a four game losing run with victory at home to the Ospreys last time out. The Warriors' only away win in their last nine trips was 18-15 at Viadana in the European Cup on 12 January. Glasgow's last win in Ireland was 24-10 over Ulster at Ravenhill on 27 April. Glasgow have won the last two matches they have played against Leinster and are going for a first ever season's double over the Irishmen, having won 21-17 at Firhill Arena in October.
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Christian Warner, 12 Michael Berne, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Felipe Contepomi, 9 Chris Whitaker, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Keith Gleeson, 6 Shane Jennings, 5 Malcolm O'Kelly, 4 Leo Cullen (c), 3 Stan Wright, 2 Bernard Jackman, 1 Ollie le Roux.
Replacements: 16 Brian Blaney, 17 Cian Healy/Stephen Knoop, 18 Trevor Hogan, 19 Stephen Keogh/Cameron Jowitt, 20 Chris Keane, 21 Jonathan Sexton, 22 Gary Brown.
Glasgow: 15 Bernardo Stortoni, 14 Lome Fa'atau, 13 Graeme Morrison, 12 Daryl Gibson (c), 11 Thom Evans, 10 Colin Gregor, 9 Sam Pinder, 8 Johnnie Beattie, 7 Donnie Macfadyen, 6 James Eddie, 5 Dan Turner, 4 Andy Newman, 3 Moray Low, 2 Dougie Hall, 1 Ed Kalman.
Replacements: 16 Eric Milligan 17 Justin Va'a 18 Opeta Palepoi 19 Richie Vernon 20 Ruaridh Jackson 21 Scott Barrow 22 Hefin O'Hare.
Date: Friday, March 21
Venue: RDS, Dublin
Kick-off: 19:30 GMT
Referee: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Touch judges: Colin Stanley (Ireland), David Wilkinson (Ireland)
TMO: John Carvill (Ireland)
Assessor: Tim Aplin (Ireland)