Heaslip Leads Leinster For Cardiff Clash

The Leinster team to face the Cardiff Blues in Saturday evening’s RaboDirect PRO12 encounter at the City Stadium (kick-off 6.15pm) has been named.

Number 8 Jamie Heaslip leads a team which includes 12 Ireland internationals for the trip to the Welsh capital this weekend.

Following on from the recent interprovincial derby victories over Ulster and Connacht over the festive season, Kevin McLaughlin links up with Sean O’Brien and Heaslip in the back row.

Cian Healy, who sat out the win over Connacht last time out, will return to front row duty alongside Sean Cronin and Mike Ross.

Eoin Reddan partners Jonathan Sexton at half-back, while the vastly-experienced Gordon D’Arcy returns to the starting back-line to partner Fergus McFadden in the centre.

Isa Nacewa, the scorer of all of Leinster’s 15 points in Galway, has been named on the replacements bench alongside the likes of Isaac Boss and Rhys Ruddock.

LEINSTER (v Cardiff Blues): Rob Kearney; David Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Gordon D’Arcy, Andrew Conway; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross, Damian Browne, Devin Toner, Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip (capt).

Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Heinke van der Merwe, Jamie Hagan, Rhys Ruddock, Leo Auva’a, Isaac Boss, Isa Nacewa, Fionn Carr.