Five players return from injury for Leinster
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The Leinster Rugby team, proudly sponsored by Bank of Ireland, to take on Ulster Rugby in Round 7 of the United Rugby Championship at Kingspan Stadium on Friday night (KO: 7.35pm, live on BBC Two Northern Ireland, RTÉ Player and Premier Sports 1) has been named by Head Coach Leo Cullen.
With 11 changes from the team who beat Lions last month, there are a few returning faces after a positive injury report earlier in the week.
Jack Conan comes back to captain the side while Jimmy O'Brien, Jordan Larmour and John McKee have all recovered from injury to take their respective places in the starting XV.
Andrew Osborne joins Larmour and O'Brien in the back three as Liam Turner is named in the centre alongside September's Bank of Ireland Player of the Month, Charlie Tector.
Ross Byrne gets the nod at ten, where he will be partnered by Luke McGrath at scrum-half.
On his return from injury, McKee will be joined by Jack Boyle and Rabah Slimani in the front row, while Diarmuid Mangan will make his first appearance of the season alongside Brian Deeny in the second row.
Conan will captain the side from number eight, with Will Connors and Max Deegan completing the back row.
Lee Barron is also fit again and takes his place among the replacements, with Michael Milne and Rory McGuire providing the rest of the front row cover.
RG Snyman, who played in all three of South Africa's victorious autumn internationals this month, has also been named among the replacements, with James Culhane and Scott Penny completing a 6-2 split.
Fintan Gunne and Harry Byrne take the final spots in the matchday 23 as they look to cover the various back positions.
Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Jimmy O’Brien (84)
14. Jordan Larmour (110)
13. Liam Turner (32)
12. Charlie Tector (11)
11. Andrew Osborne (4)
10. Ross Byrne (168)
9. Luke McGrath (216)
1. Jack Boyle (12)
2. John McKee (28)
3. Rabah Slimani (4)
4. Diarmuid Mangan (3)
5. Brian Deeny (27)
6. Max Deegan (118)
7. Will Connors (51)
8. Jack Conan CAPTAIN (152)
Replacements:
16. Lee Barron (19)
17. Michael Milne (45)
18. Rory McGuire (3)
19. RG Snyman (4)
20. James Culhane (11)
21. Fintan Gunne (6)
22. Harry Byrne (70)
23. Scott Penny (74)
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
⬆ | 𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡
⚡ Here is your Leinster Rugby team to face @UlsterRugby tomorrow evening in Belfast!#FromTheGroundUp #ULSvLEI pic.twitter.com/AyXxfwgolh— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) November 28, 2024