Categories: Leinster Main News Provincial URC

O’Brien Returns To Captain Leinster In Llanelli

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has named his team to play the Scarlets in the GUINNESS PRO14 in Llanelli on Friday night (kick-off 7.35pm).

The original fixture was scheduled for last Saturday but with Dublin Airport closed due to Storm Emma, the Leinster squad were unable to travel and the game was rescheduled for Parc y Scarlets tomorrow night.

Leo Cullen is able to call on the services of a number of returning players, while some others have been released from Ireland camp to line up in blue. There is a welcome return for Sean O’Brien, who also captains the side at openside flanker, having recovered from a hip injury.

The fit-again O’Brien, who has not played since December, is joined in the back row by Josh Murphy and number 8 Jack Conan, a recent Six Nations debutant who got game-time against both Italy and Wales.

In the front five, twin brothers Ed and Bryan Byrne again start together with Michael Bent, one of the province’s centurions, at tighthead, while Ross Molony is joined in the second row by Australian international Scott Fardy, the scorer of three tries in his last three games for Leinster.

In an unchanged back-three, Dave Kearney lines out at full-back with Barry Daly on the right wing and James Lowe on the left. The centre pairing features Noel Reid and Rory O’Loughlin, while Ross Byrne returns in the number 10 jersey alongside Nick McCarthy, who touched down twice against the Southern Kings.

Leinster Academy scrum half Charlie Rock is in line to make his first appearance of the season off the bench, with the replacements also including recent debutant prop Adam Coyle and Skerries youngster Ciaran Frawley, who scored 24 points in his first two senior outings for the province.

LEINSTER (v Scarlets): Dave Kearney; Barry Daly, Rory O’Loughlin, Noel Reid, James Lowe; Ross Byrne; Nick McCarthy; Ed Byrne, Bryan Byrne, Michael Bent, Ross Molony, Scott Fardy, Josh Murphy, Sean O’Brien (capt), Jack Conan.

Replacements: James Tracy, Peter Dooley, Adam Coyle, Mick Kearney, Max Deegan, Charlie Rock, Ciaran Frawley, Adam Byrne.