Sweeping Changes To Leinster Team

The Leinster team to face the Newport Gwent Dragons in Friday night's RaboDirect PRO12 clash at Rodney Parade (kick-off 7pm) has been named.

With a number of players available for selection this week, the Leinster management have made 11 changes in personnel to the starting line-up ahead of the trip to Newport.

Academy prop Jack O'Connell, 22, will make his seventh Leinster appearance - and his first start - in a front row which includes Balbriggan's Jamie Hagan and Sean Cronin who is one of five Ireland internationals to return to the panel this week.

O'Connell has featured as a replacement in the province's last three wins over the Cardiff Blues, Benetton Treviso and the Scarlets.

Fergus McFadden partners the fit-again Brendan Macken in the centre, with full-back Luke Fitzgerald included in a a strong back-three alongside Fionn Carr and David Kearney.

Meanwhile, Ian Madigan, who makes his 23rd appearance of the season, links up with Eoin Reddan at half-back.

Shane Jennings leads the team and starts in a rejigged back row which includes Dominic Ryan and sees Rhys Ruddock switch to number 8.

Mark Flanagan, fresh from his seasonal debut last weekend, will feature alongside his cousin Devin Toner in the second row.

Jack McGrath, who has turned in some impressive displays in recent weeks, takes his place on a replacements bench which includes the likes of regular captain Leo Cullen and Eoin O'Malley.

Friday's match at Rodney Parade is not being televised. There will be live updates via the Leinster Rugby Twitter page - @leinsterrugby.

LEINSTER (v Newport Gwent Dragons): Luke Fitzgerald; David Kearney, Brendan Macken, Fergus McFadden, Fionn Carr; Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Jack O'Connell, Sean Cronin, Jamie Hagan, Mark Flanagan, Devin Toner, Dominic Ryan, Shane Jennings (capt), Rhys Ruddock.

Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Jack McGrath, Michael Bent, Leo Cullen, Jordi Murphy, John Cooney, Andrew Goodman, Eoin O'Malley.

Previewing Saturday's RaboDirect PRO12 final against Leinster with Cóilín Duffy, Ulster winger Andrew Trimble said: "We really motivated for this game. People are talking about us being the best Ulster side in a few years, we had that record of 13 wins in a row at the start of the year. We want to win trophies, and there's no point having those records unless we back them up."

Connacht elite player development officer Jimmy Duffy chats about the province's latest programme, 'Grassroots to Green Shirts', which they hope will increase the number of indigenous players coming through the provincial player pathway. In the westerners' current senior squad, there are 19 players who have come through the Connacht system.

Speaking about Connacht's 'Grassroots to Green Shirts' initiative, the province's CEO Tom Sears said: "We like to think we're innovative in our approach, that we're looking at things slightly differently. We've shown that the production line is working with the young players coming through. The system is working, we just need a bit more investment to make sure we can get more players through."

Connacht's head of commercial and marketing Alex Saul talks about some exciting developments off the pitch for the province, including their 'Grassroots to Green Shirts' crowd-funding initiative which gives fans the chance to play their part in growing and developing the future stars of Connacht and Irish rugby.

Speaking after the 30-11 home win over the Dragons, Connacht head coach Eric Elwood said: "We're a little bit disappointed we didn't get the bonus point, but the good thing is we got a good victory at home and we had a great crowd. We're back on the horse and it sets us up for Harlequins (next week)."

Speaking about recovering from the disappointing defeat to the Scarlets, young Leinster centre Noel Reid said: "We went over looking for a result and we didn't perform the way we wanted to. So we need a big week now of training and focusing on the things that didn't go our way - the breakdown in particular."