Nagle To Make His Leinster Debut In Cardiff

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has announced his team for Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 round 5 game against Cardiff Blues in the Welsh capital (kick-off 7.35pm).

There are nine personnel changes from last week’s bonus point win over the Ospreys and three players are involved for the first time this season.

In the back-line, Zane Kirchner and Dave Kearney continue at full-back and on the left wing respectively, while Fergus McFadden returns from injury on the right wing for his first start since the round 1 victory over Benetton Treviso.

Noel Reid continues at inside centre where he is partnered for the first time this season by Rory O’Loughlin who makes his first competitive start for Leinster having appeared as a replacement in two games so far. Jamison Gibson Park starts at scrum half with Jonathan Sexton captaining the province from number 10.

In the pack it is an all-new front row with Jack McGrath, hooker James Tracy and Mike Ross lining up together, while Mick Kearney is joined in the second row by Leinster debutant Ian Nagle who joined the province during the summer but has been out with a shoulder injury over the last few weeks. The Corkman last played in the PRO12 in December 2013 for Munster against the Scarlets. 

In the back row, two replacements from last week, Dan Leavy and Rhys Ruddock, start at blindside flanker and number 8 respectively, combining with openside Josh van der Flier who scored two tries in a man-of-the-match performance last Friday.

Looking at the bench, Leinster Academy scrum half Nick McCarthy is in line to make his first appearance of the season and UCD’s Barry Daly, who was recently awarded a contract having been on trial during the summer, is in line to make his provincial bow.

Daly, a talented winger at Ulster Bank League level and an Ireland Sevens international, was involved in Leinster’s pre-season friendlies and scored a try against Bath in the last of those games at Donnybrook.

LEINSTER (v Cardiff Blues): Zane Kirchner; Fergus McFadden, Rory O’Loughlin, Noel Reid, Dave Kearney; Jonathan Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson Park; Jack McGrath, James Tracy, Mike Ross, Mick Kearney, Ian Nagle, Dan Leavy, Josh van der Flier, Rhys Ruddock.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Peter Dooley, Michael Bent, Devin Toner, Jamie Heaslip, Nick McCarthy, Joey Carbery, Barry Daly.