Porter Returns For Leinster’s Semi-Final Showdown With Toulon

Andrew Porter features in the Leinster team selected for Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final against RC Toulon at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 3pm). The Ireland prop will start after recovering from a shoulder injury. Tickets are on sale here.

It will be Porter’s first appearance since coming off injured at half-time during the round of 16 win over Edinburgh. He will pack down alongside Dan Sheehan and Thomas Clarkson, who takes over from the injured Tadhg Furlong at tighthead.

Furlong limped off during last week’s BKT United Rugby Championship defeat to Benetton Rugby, with head coach Leo Cullen’s selection showing six changes to the side that lost 29-26 in Treviso.

Caelan Doris leads the team from an unchanged back row, alongside Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier, and James Ryan and Joe McCarthy pair up together at lock as Leinster bid to reach their fourth Champions Cup final in five years.

Harry Byrne, their top scorer in Europe this season with 54 points, combines again with Jamison Gibson-Park at half-back, and Robbie Henshaw reunites with Garry Ringrose in the centre, following on from his try-scoring appearance against Ulster a fortnight ago.

Leinster’s back-three all crossed the whitewash during the recent knockout victories over Edinburgh and Sale Sharks. Full-back Hugo Keenan and New Zealander Rieko Ioane both touched down twice, while right winger Tommy O’Brien ran in three tries.

Jerry Cahir was an early entrant against Sale, coming on for the injured Alex Usanov, and he will continue in the number 17 jersey for this weekend. Rónan Kelleher and Rabah Slimani, who is set to join Toulon in the summer, complete the front row cover.

With RG Snyman and Ryan Baird sidelined through injury, Alex Soroka is poised to make his Champions Cup debut, and Scott Penny is the back row back-up. Double centurion Luke McGrath, Sam Prendergast, and Jamie Osborne are the replacement backs.

Leinster are aiming to book their place at the 2026 finals weekend in Bilbao’s San Mamés Stadium, the venue for their 2018 title win over Racing 92.

LEINSTER (v Toulon): Hugo Keenan; Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Rieko Ioane; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jerry Cahir, Rabah Slimani, Alex Soroka, Scott Penny, Luke McGrath, Sam Prendergast, Jamie Osborne.