Jennings To Captain Leinster Against Treviso
The Leinster team to face Benetton Treviso in Saturday afternoon’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash at the Stadio di Monigo (kick-off 3pm local time/2pm Irish time) has been named.
Shane Jennings leads a side which shows a number of changes from the team that defeated Glasgow Warriors 38-13 in the Heineken Cup last weekend.
With a number of Ireland players being rested, Saturday’s game presents an opportunity for several players including the likes of Ian Madigan, who comes in for his ninth appearance of the season.
Leinster are boosted by the return of Fergus McFadden who is named on the right wing in a back-three which also includes Fionn Carr and Luke Fitzgerald.
Gordon D’Arcy and Eoin O’Malley, who were both try scorers at the RDS last Sunday, continue in the centre with Eoin Reddan partnering Madigan at half-back.
In the pack there are starts for Rhys Ruddock and Leo Auva’a who join Jennings in the back row, with Damian Browne, Jamie Hagan and Ireland prop Cian Healy all starting.
Isaac Boss, another of the try scorers against Glasgow, is one of three Ireland internationals named amongst the replacements including Jamie Heaslip and Kevin McLaughlin.
Brendan Macken and Jack McGrath, who have impressed in recent weeks with the province’s British & Irish Cup team, will also be hoping to feature off the bench.
LEINSTER (v Benetton Treviso): Luke Fitzgerald; Fergus McFadden, Eoin O’Malley, Gordon D’Arcy, Fionn Carr; Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Jamie Hagan, Damian Browne, Devin Toner, Rhys Ruddock, Shane Jennings (capt), Leo Auva’a.
Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Jack McGrath, Nathan White, Kevin McLaughlin, Jamie Heaslip, Isaac Boss, Noel Reid, Brendan Macken.