Heaslip To Skipper Leinster For League Semi-Final

Isa Nacewa will make his 100th appearance for the province as the two sides shape up for their fifth meeting this season.

Nacewa has to date scored 358 career points for Leinster and he starts at full-back in a back-three which features Fergus McFadden, who replaces the injured Luke Fitzgerald, and David Kearney who lines up on the left wing.

Rob Kearney (back) and Brian O’Driscoll (knee) picked up niggles in training this week and have been ruled out for this weekend’s game. The Ireland duo will be further assessed by the Leinster medical team over the coming days.

Gordon D’Arcy, capped 204 times for the province to date, partners the fit-again Eoin O’Malley at centre, with Eoin Reddan linking up at half-back with Jonathan Sexton.

Jamie Heaslip leads the team and the Naas man is named in an all-Ireland international  back row alongside Shane Jennings and Sean O’Brien who makes his 70th appearance for the province.

With regular captain Leo Cullen named amongst a strong replacement bench, Devin Toner will form the second row partnership with All Black Brad Thorn.

Close to 14,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday’s game and there are tickets still available online here, the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook), Spar (Donnybrook) as well as Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

There will also be tickets on sale on the day on both Simmonscourt Road and Anglesea Road from 4pm.

Meanwhile, with a number of events taking place in and around the RDS on Saturday, supporters are advised to use public transport. Gates open at 6pm.

LEINSTER (v Glasgow Warriors): Isa Nacewa; Fergus McFadden, Eoin O’Malley, Gordon D’Arcy, David Kearney; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Brad Thorn, Devin Toner, Sean O’Brien, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip (capt).

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Heinke van der Merwe, Nathan White, Leo Cullen, Kevin McLaughlin, Isaac Boss, Ian Madigan, Andrew Conway.