URC Semi-Finals: Leinster and Bulls bolster benches for RDS clash

The teams for the United Rugby Championship semi-final clash between Leinster and the Bulls have been named.

• Leinster make two changes to their starting XV, Robbie Henshaw starts and Jonathan Sexton comes onto the bench.
• Bulls welcome the return of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Bismack du Plessis via the bench.

LEINSTER TEAM NEWS

Head coach Leo Cullen and co have opted to make two changes to the starting XV with Johnny Sexton also returning from injury to take his place among the replacements.

In the backs, Robbie Henshaw is in at 12 alongside Garry Ringrose while the back three of Rory O’Loughlin, Jordan Larmour and Jimmy O’Brien is unchanged. Ross Byrne and Jamison Gibson-Park maintain their spots in the half-backs after last week’s 76-14 win over Glasgow Warriors.

In the pack, there’s both one personnel and one positional change. Jack Conan comes back in at No 8 with Caelan Doris shifting to the blindside and Josh van der Flier completes the back row.

It’s ‘as you were’ elsewhere in the pack with Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong across the front row while captain James Ryan and Academy lock Joe McCarthy are in the second row.

Ryan Baird and Ciarán Frawley go to the replacements bench where they are joined by Seán Cronin, Cian Healy, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, Luke McGrath and Sexton.

BULLS TEAM NEWS

Bulls head coach Jake White has named an unchanged starting lineup to tackle Leinster at the RDS Stadium with all four of the changes coming on the bench.

Marcell Coetzee retains the captaincy and is joined in the back row by fellow Springbok Arno Botha with Elrigh Louw completing the back row in the no.8 jersey.

Gerhard Steenkamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Mornay Smith make up the front row with man of the match in the quarter-finals Walt Steenkamp partnered by Ruan Nortje in the second row.

Chris Smith, who slotted the man winning penalty in the quarter-final, starts at flyhalf with Zak Burger his halfback partner.

Harold Vorster and Cornal Hendricks start in the centres with Madosh Tambwe and David Kriel on the wings and Canan Moodie at fullback.

Bismarck du Plessis replaced Jan-Hendrik Wessels on the bench for cover at hooker while Simphiwe Matanzima comes in as loosehead cover ahead of Dylan Smith. Robert Hunt covers tighthead.

There is further forward cover in Janko Swanepoel and WJ Steenkamp. Embrose Papier and Morne Steyn cover the halfbacks with livewire outside back Kurt-Lee Arendse returning from injury in the no.23 jumper.

THE LINEUPS

Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose; Robbie Henshaw, Rory O’Loughlin, Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (Capt), Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.

Replacements: Seán Cronin, Cian Healy, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, Ryan Baird, Luke McGrath, Johnny Sexton, Ciarán Frawley.

Bulls: Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Cornal Hendricks, Harold Vorster, Madosh Tambwe, Chris Smith, Zak Burger; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Mornay Smith, Walt Steenkamp, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee, Arno Botha, Elrigh Louw.

Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, Simphiwe Matanzima, Robert Hunt, Janko Swanepoel, WJ Steenkamp; Embrose Papier, Morne Steyn, Kurt-Lee Arendse.

Leinster v Bulls

RDS Arena, Dublin – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 24th league game)

AR 1: Craig Evans (WRU) AR 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)

TMO: Matteo Lipperini (FIR)

Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport & URC TV