Nacewa Fit To Captain Leinster As Team For Final Is Confirmed
The Leinster team for Saturday evening’s GUINNESS PRO14 final against the Scarlets at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 6pm) has been announced by head coach Leo Cullen.
Tickets for the final game of the 2017/18 season are still on sale at leinsterrugby.ie and ticketmaster.ie.
Leo Cullen has confirmed that captain Isa Nacewa, who has shaken off a calf injury, will lead the side for what will be his 185th and final appearance in blue. Nacewa’s Leinster career started in September 2008 away to Cardiff Blues and will come to a close at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
He will start at inside centre alongside Garry Ringrose who makes his 50th Leinster appearance. The back-three sees Rob Kearney return in the number 15 jersey, with Jordan Larmour (20) on the right wing and James Lowe on the left after his man-of-the-match performance against Munster.
Luke McGrath is selected at scrum half with Jonathan Sexton recovering from a calf problem to slot back at number 10. In all, there are four personnel changes to the side that edged out Munster 16-15 at the semi-final stage of the Championship.
Up front it is the same front five that started the recent Champions Cup final, with Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong in the front row and Devin Toner and the 21-year-old James Ryan continuing together in the engine room.
Rhys Ruddock, who had a 63-minute run-out against Munster on his return from injury, is retained at blindside flanker with Dan Leavy back at openside after missing the interprovincial derby. Finally, Jack Conan, the scorer of Leinster’s lone try against Munster, completes the back row from number 8, while Scott Fardy and Jordi Murphy will provide the back-up at lock and in the loose forwards.
LEINSTER (v Scarlets): Rob Kearney; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Isa Nacewa (capt), James Lowe; Jonathan Sexton, Luke McGrath; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, James Ryan, Rhys Ruddock, Dan Leavy, Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Scott Fardy, Jordi Murphy, Nick McCarthy, Joey Carbery, Rory O’Loughlin.