Leinster will be without captain Johnny Sexton when they host Ulster in the Champions Cup Quarter-Finals at Aviva Stadium on Saturday at 17 45.
It was confirmed that Sexton would miss out earlier on Friday morning with Ross Byrne taking his place at No 10. However, some returning Irish stars have been left out of the starting team and 23 too.
On the other side Iain Henderson has been passed fit for the visitors, in what is a huge boost for the northern side
Last time out at @AVIVAStadium in the Heineken #ChampionsCup ?⬇️#StormDeirdre couldn’t stop over 40,000 of you coming out to #JoinTheRoar ???#TBT pic.twitter.com/Ms0glXiNi3
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) March 28, 2024
Leinster’s team is made up by Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, and Tadhg Furlong in the front-row, with James Ryan and Scott Fardy in the lock positions.
In the back-row, Rhys Ruddock captains the side in Sexton’s absence from the left-flank, with Sean O’Brien on the opposite side and Jack Conan slotting in at No 8 to complete the pack.
Luke McGrath is picked to start at scrum-half after making a return to action last weekend, and is joined in the half-backs by Byrne, who has a massive opportunity to shine now.
In the centre, Rory O’Loughlin partners Garry Ringrose, while Dave Kearney is at 11, Adam Byrne at 14 and Jordan Larmour comes in to play at 15.
The bench is full of experience with the likes of Dan Leavy, Andrew Porter, Jamison Gibson-Park and Rob Kearney ready to provide fire-power when called upon.
Gibson-Park’s inclusion on the bench also ruled out James Lowe from taking part in the game, while Kearney finds himself on the bench due to Larmour’s starting role, however Jack McGrath is a noticeable absentee from the squad.
Watch: Here is your 23-man squad to represent Leinster against @UlsterRugby tomorrow in the Heineken #ChampionsCup quarter-final at @AVIVAStadium. #LEIvULS #JoinTheRoar pic.twitter.com/e84XxapBKs
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) March 29, 2024
Speaking ahead of the game Leinster head coach Leo Cullen explained that some players will have to get used to being left out due to the younger talent that is coming through at the club.
“We’ve guys coming through the system and they can all contribute. It’s unfair to talk about guys missing out. It’s about a squad of players. This is the group we are and the way we want it to be. It’s the nature of the business, investing in the young players. Older guys know they need to facilitate that, it can be hard at times but we have to tell them this is the way it is this week. And when they deliver things in training there can be a next time,” he said.
On the Ulster side, as mentioned above
Henderson is available and he is joined by returning captain Rory Best to bolster
their hopes of an upset.
Best is partnered in the front-row by Eric
O’Sullivan and Marty Moore, with Henderson joined by Kieran Treadwell in the
second-row.
Nick Timoney is at six, while Jordi Murphy
comes in at seven to make his first start against his former side. Marcell
Coetzee completes the pack at No 8.
John Cooney and Billy Burns continue to be
given time together in the half-backs, with Stuart McCloskey and Darren Cave
outside them in the centre.
Jacob Stockdale starts on the left-wing,
with Robert Baloucoune on the right and Michael Lowry at full-back.
The likes of Rob Herring, Sean Reidy and Dave Shanahan are joined in the replacements by the returning Luke Marshall.
Ulster’s danger-man Stockdale is spoken of
his excitement at playing against Leinster this weekend.
“It’s a big game ahead and it’s fun playing against guys that you play with quite a lot, it’s going to be a good game,” he said.
The game will see a lot of Irish
internationals that are looking for a seat on the plane to Japan go up against one
another, here are some key match-ups to look out for.
Sean Cronin vs Rory Best:
Cronin was dropped from the Ireland set-up
during the Six Nations, while Ireland captain Best played out his final games
in the competition. Cronin has had a brilliant season with Leinster so far,
especially scoring tries and will need to put up a huge fight on Saturday to stake
a claim to be Best’s under-study come the World Cup.
James Ryan vs Iain Henderson:
Although one is at four and the other at
five this weekend, it will be interesting to see how they cope against one
another as they are such influential players in the lock position. Whoever comes
out on top in the line-out department during the match will go a long way to
winning the game and these men are key to the set-piece.
Sean O’Brien vs Jordi Murphy:
A departing Leinster man versus a departed
Leinster man. This will be an all-out battle as neither are certain to head to
Japan in one of the most hotly contested positions in the Ireland team. O’Brien
is being questioned after his performances in the Six Nations, while Murphy
hasn’t set the world alight since going North. If either can hit top form here
it could be crucial for themselves and their team, especially as Dan Leavy will
be raring to make his stamp on the game from the bench.
Luke McGrath vs John Cooney:
Again, another former blue in Cooney faces
his old side. He was in and out of the Irish team while McGrath was unavailable
through injury. McGrath will be wanting a perfect performance to make up for lost
time because of his injury, while Cooney will want to continue his fine form
that has seen him in the Irish set-up. These could be the two men battling for
a place in the squad for Japan so a starring role here could seal the deal for
either one.
Ross Byrne vs Billy Burns:
This is a real test for the Leinster man,
who is starting due to Sexton’s injury and he won’t have an easy afternoon with
Burns around. If he can control the game, it could see him step up his own
plans for Japan. Burns will be doing everything he can to stop the Leinster man.
Remember it was in the semi-finals 10 years ago that Sexton got his real
break-through, could this be Byrne’s?
This could be the game of the weekend if it
all gets going and although Leinster are strong favourites to progress this one
could go down to the wire as Ulster are certainly up for the fight. Make sure
you tune into this one.
