Leinster Make Wholesale Changes For Visit Of Ulster
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has announced his team for Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO14 derby match against Ulster Rugby at the RDS (kick-off 5.35pm).
St. Mary’s College clubman Jack McGrath will lead out a Leinster senior side at the RDS for the first time. There are 13 personnel changes for the province’s third derby clash in 11 days, as Fergus McFadden and Garry Ringrose are the only players retained in the starting XV.
Jordan Larmour, the scorer of that stunning solo try against Munster on St. Stephen’s Day, starts at full-back with McFadden on the right wing and Barry Daly on the left. Robbie Henshaw rejoins Ringrose at centre, while Ross Byrne, who has scored 86 points so far in this season’s PRO14, resumes at half-back alongside Jamison Gibson-Park.
In a completely refreshed starting pack, stand-in captain McGrath is joined in the front row by James Tracy and Tadhg Furlong, while fellow internationals Devin Toner and Scott Fardy come in as the starting locks.
In the back row, 22-year-old Academy player Josh Murphy starts for only the second time in Leinster colours, with Jordi Murphy, who will move to Ulster in the summer, at openside flanker and Jack Conan completing the selected forwards at number 8.
Leinster have announced that well over 17,000 tickets have now been sold for Saturday’s interprovincial encounter, and only a limited number of tickets are still available to buy here.
LEINSTER (v Ulster): Jordan Larmour; Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Barry Daly; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack McGrath (capt), James Tracy, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Josh Murphy, Jordi Murphy, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, Mick Kearney, Max Deegan, Nick McCarthy, Jonathan Sexton, Noel Reid.