Heaslip, Moore And McFadden All Start For Leinster
Jamie Heaslip returns from injury to captain the Leinster team that has been announced for Saturday’s European Champions Cup round 5 encounter with Castres Olympique at the RDS (kick-off 5.30pm).
With tickets still on sale for the game, there is good news for Leinster supporters on the injury front with Jamie Heaslip shaking off the shoulder injury that kept him out of last weekend’s PRO12 game against Cardiff Blues, while Martin Moore and Fergus McFadden also start having missed all four previous European rounds with shoulder and ankle injuries respectively.
The front row consists of Michael Bent, Sean Cronin and Moore, who came through his 54 minutes against Cardiff last weekend and reported no issues with his shoulder during the week. It will be the young prop’s fourth appearance of the season.
Mike McCarthy and Devin Toner start in the second row, while in the back row Jack Conan (pictured below) will start his first Champions Cup game for Leinster having appeared off the bench in three of the previous four rounds. Having only played once last year for Leinster due to injury, this will be the Wicklow youngster’s 14th senior appearance of the season.
Jordi Murphy is selected at openside flanker with the returning Heaslip captaining the side from the base of the scrum in his 196th appearance for Leinster.
In the backs Rob Kearney continues at full-back and McFadden and Dave Kearney will take up their positions on the right and left wings respectively.
Ian Madigan and Luke Fitzgerald link up once more in the centre, while Eoin Reddan and Jimmy Gopperth will direct operations from half-back. Notably, Luke McGrath is selected as the replacement scrum half and is in line to make his European debut for Leinster should he come on.
Tickets for Leinster v Castres Olympique are still available and can be bought by clicking here.
LEINSTER (v Castres Olympique): Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Luke Fitzgerald, Ian Madigan, Dave Kearney; Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan; Michael Bent, Sean Cronin, Martin Moore, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Jack Conan, Jordi Murphy, Jamie Heaslip (capt).
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Jamie Hagan, Tadhg Furlong, Kane Douglas, Dominic Ryan, Luke McGrath, Gordon D’Arcy, Darragh Fanning.