Cullen Makes Nine Changes To Leinster Team
Ahead of the Captain’s Run later at the Aviva Stadium, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has named his team for Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 derby match against Munster (kick-off 5.30pm).
With over 40,000 tickets sold, there are plenty of tickets still available – starting from €;20 – from www.leinsterrugby.ie/tickets or on match day from the ticket office based in the Ballsbridge Hotel.
There are nine changes and two positional switches in total to the Leinster side that started last weekend against Connacht.
With Zane Kirchner coming in at full-back, captain Isa Nacewa moves to the right wing with Dave Kearney also coming back in on the left wing, winning his 98th cap for Leinster.
It is the same centre combination of Ben Te’o and Garry Ringrose, but there are two new half-backs in Eoin Reddan, who lines up against his former team, and Jonathan Sexton who returns for his first GUINNESS PRO12 game since facing the Ospreys in January.
There are five changes to the pack with two of these in the front row as Jack McGrath and Sean Cronin start alongside Tadhg Furlong. Like Reddan, Cronin starts against his native province for whom he played on two occasions before joining Connacht.
Devin Toner comes in to partner Hayden Triggs in the second row, while in the back row Rhys Ruddock is again selected but moves from number 8 to blindside flanker. Jordi Murphy comes in at openside to win his 75th Leinster cap, while Jamie Heaslip completes the pack from the back of the scrum.
LEINSTER (v Munster): Zane Kirchner; Isa Nacewa (capt), Garry Ringrose, Ben Te’o, Dave Kearney; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Hayden Triggs, Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy, Mike Ross, Ross Molony, Josh van der Flier, Luke McGrath, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden.