Leinster Include UCD Wingers Byrne And Daly
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has announced his team to take on reigning GUINNESS PRO12 champions Connacht at the RDS on Saturday evening (kick-off 5.15pm).
There are over 17,000 tickets sold with the last remaining tickets still to be found on leinsterrugby.ie/tickets and also from the ticket office inside the Anglesea Road gate on match day from 3.45pm.
There are ten changes to the Leinster side that faced Montpellier in the Champions Cup last Sunday. Isa Nacewa is the only back retained by Leo Cullen, with the Fijian international, who scored a try and four successful kicks last weekend, moving from the left wing to take up the full-back position.
Adam Byrne makes his first start of the season on the right wing with fellow UCD clubman Barry Daly making his first Leinster start on the left having already made an appearance off the bench in Cardiff. Daly has scored four tries in two games for the Leinster ‘A’ team over the last two weekends in the British & Irish Cup.
Two former St. Michael’s pupils, Noel Reid and Rory O’Loughlin, come into the centre with Jamison Gibson Park and Joey Carbery, who was included in the Ireland squad this week, forming the half-back pairing.
In the pack there is one change in the front row as Sean Cronin starts at hooker with Cian Healy at loosehead and Mike Ross at tighthead. Mick Kearney starts again in the second row but is joined by Ian Nagle this week.
Finally, in the back row, Sean O’Brien moves from blindside flanker to openside with the number 6 jersey going to the in-form Dan Leavy.
Fit-again number 8 Jack Conan will make his first competitive senior appearance of the season having played with Leinster ‘A’ over the last two weekends. Conan has recovered from an ankle injury picked up in the pre-season game against Gloucester.
UCD’s Ross Byrne is in line to make his first appearance of the season off the bench. The Academy out-half made three appearances for the province last term.
LEINSTER (v Connacht): Isa Nacewa (capt); Adam Byrne, Rory O’Loughlin, Noel Reid, Barry Daly; Joey Carbery, Jamison Gibson Park; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross, Mick Kearney, Ian Nagle, Dan Leavy, Sean O’Brien, Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Peter Dooley, Michael Bent, Mike McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Rob Kearney.