Leinster welcome back Charlie Ngatai for the Champions Cup Semi Final
- 1527
The Leinster Rugby team, proudly sponsored by Bank of Ireland, to take on Toulouse in the Semi-Final of the Heineken Champions Cup, on Saturday afternoon in Aviva Stadium, has been named by Leo Cullen (KO: 3pm – live on RTÉ 2, BT Sport 3, RTÉ Radio 1 and Newstalk).
James Ryan captains the team, with last season’s EPCR Player of the Year Josh van der Flier (pictured above) set to win his 50th Champions Cup cap.
Hugo Keenan starts at full-back, with Jordan Larmour and Jimmy O’Brien named on the wings.
There is a welcome return from injury for Charlie Ngatai (pictured below). The New Zealand international makes his first appearance since early January, and he joins Garry Ringrose in the centre.
Ross Byrne and Jamison Gibson-Park continue their partnership at half-back.
The front five remains unchanged from the Quarter-Final win over Leicester Tigers.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong make up the front row, with Ross Molony and Ryan in the second row.
After missing the Heineken Champions Cup Quarter-Final, van der Flier returns to the back row where he is joined by Caelan Doris and Jack Conan.
On the bench, Cian Healy (pictured below) is in line to earn his 262nd Leinster cap and will move into outright second place on Leinster’s all-time record cap holder list, behind Devin Toner on 280.
Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Hugo Keenan (53)
14. Jordan Larmour (87)
13. Garry Ringrose (114)
12. Charlie Ngatai (11)
11. Jimmy O’Brien (68)
10. Ross Byrne (145)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (123)
1. Andrew Porter (105)
2. Dan Sheehan (43)
3. Tadhg Furlong (131)
4. Ross Molony (160)
5. James Ryan (71) CAPTAIN
6. Caelan Doris (64)
7. Josh van der Flier (125)
8. Jack Conan (129)
16. John McKee (17)
17. Cian Healy (261)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (44)
19. Jason Jenkins (14)
20. Ryan Baird (50)
21. Luke McGrath (192)
22. Harry Byrne (48)
23. Ciarán Frawley (64)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)