Henshaw And O’Brien Back For Leinster’s Coventry Mission
The Leinster team to face Wasps in round 6 of the Heineken Champions Cup at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday (kick-off 3.15pm) contains four changes to the side that defeated Toulouse 29-13.
As the defending champions hunt down a home quarter-final, head coach Leo Cullen keeps faith with the same back-three that scored two tries between them last weekend. Jordan Larmour continues at full-back with Adam Byrne and Dave Kearney on the wings.
Robbie Henshaw returns from a hamstring injury to take his place in the centre alongside Garry Ringrose, coming in for his first Leinster appearance since late October. Jonathan Sexton’s continued injury-enforced absence sees Ross Byrne retained at half-back alongside Jamison Gibson-Park, who replaces knee ligament injury victim Luke McGrath.
Up front, Jack McGrath swaps in for Cian Healy on the loosehead side of the scrum, Devin Toner has recovered from his ankle injury to link up with James Ryan at lock, and Rhys Ruddock will again lead the province from blindside flanker, in an unchanged back row.
Sean O’Brien, who was named in Ireland’s Six Nations squad on Wednesday, has ended his spell out with a broken arm. He joins a strong bench for the game in Coventry, aiming for his first appearance for the province since October, while 20-year-old Academy scrum half Hugh O’Sullivan is in line for his European debut.
LEINSTER (v Wasps): Jordan Larmour; Adam Byrne, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Dave Kearney; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, James Ryan, Rhys Ruddock (capt), Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, Scott Fardy, Sean O’Brien, Hugh O’Sullivan, Noel Reid, Rory O’Loughlin.