Centurion Healy To Start For Leinster
The Leinster team to face Exeter Chiefs in the opening round of the Heineken Cup at the RDS on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3.40pm) has been named.
Cian Healy, who has recovered from a bicep injury, will make his 100th Leinster appearance in Saturday’s Pool 5 opener.
The 25-year-old loosehead prop will start in the front row alongside Richardt Strauss, the try-scoring man-of-the-match from the derby win over Munster, and Mike Ross.
Skipper Leo Cullen returns to partners Damian Browne in the second row with Kevin McLaughlin fit enough to continue in the back row alongside Shane Jennings and number 8 Jamie Heaslip.
The back-line is unchanged from the one that started the Munster game with Fergus McFadden partnering Brian O’Driscoll in the centre and Isa Nacewa, on the left wing, making his 33rd Heineken Cup appearance.
Rob Kearney, who is nursing a back injury, trained well on Thursday but pulled up sore afterwards, so Ian Madigan will continue at full-back for his second Heineken Cup start.
Both Kearney and Gordon D’Arcy are expected to be available for selection for the round 2 trip to Llanelli next weekend.
Meanwhile, scrum half Isaac Boss has recovered from the arm injury he sustained in early September and takes his place amongst the replacements alongside fellow Ireland internationals Sean Cronin and Devin Toner.
The last remaining tickets for the Leinster v Exeter Chiefs tie are on sale online here, and are also available to purchase from the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook) and Spar (Donnybrook).
LEINSTER (v Exeter Chiefs): Ian Madigan; Andrew Conway, Brian O’Driscoll, Fergus McFadden, Isa Nacewa; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Leo Cullen (capt), Damian Browne, Kevin McLaughlin, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Heinke van der Merwe, Jamie Hagan, Devin Toner, Leo Auva’a, Jordi Murphy, Isaac Boss, Fionn Carr.