he Ulster team has been named for Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 Round 21 clash against reigning champions Leinster (Kingspan Stadium, 5.15pm).
Darren Cave, who will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season, will captain the side from outside centre.
Abbey Insurance Academy back row Marcus Rea will make his senior debut for the Province if he’s called upon from the bench, meaning it could be a special day for the Rea family, with brother Matty set to start.
David Busby, who suffered a long-term knee injury in pre-season, is in line to make his first appearance of the season. The utility back has previously played four games and scored a try on his debut against Zebre in February 2017.
Busby will be joined in the back three by Academy players Michael Lowry and Angus Kernohan, who have made a combined total of 30 appearances to date this season. Cave will partner Peter Nelson in midfield, with David Shanahan and Johnny McPhillips paired at half-back by the Ulster coaching team.
Andy Warwick, John Andrew and Ross Kane are selected in the front row, with Ian Nagle and Alan O’Connor ready to offer support from the second row. Matty Rea, Clive Ross and Sean Reidy complete the forward pack.
Tommy O’Hagan and Jack Owens could make just their second appearances after being named among the replacements alongside Marcus Rea. Adam McBurney, Tom O’Toole, Nick Timoney, Jonny Stewart and Rob Lyttle are the other options on the bench.
Leinster:
The Leinster Rugby team, as sponsored by Bank of Ireland, to face Ulster Rugby on Saturday at Kingspan Stadium in the final round of Guinness PRO14 regular season games has been announced by head coach Leo Cullen (KO 5.15pm, live on eir Sport, Premier Sports, DAZN).
Ross Byrne will captain the province for the first time, starting in a half-back partnership with Nick McCarthy.
Byrne made his Leinster debut back in September 2015, appearing off the bench against Edinburgh. He followed this up with his first start the following month against Scarlets.
The 24-year-old has gone on to make 68 appearances for the province to-date, scoring 368 points – the eighth highest tally of all-time for Leinster. Five points against Ulster on Saturday would see Byrne surpass Alan McGowan on Leinster’s all-time point scorers list.
Elsewhere in the back line, the experienced Dave Kearney and Fergus McFadden are selected on the wings with Jimmy O’Brien at full-back completing the back three.
Noel Reid and Joe Tomane are Leinster’s starting centre partnership for Saturday’s game in Belfast.
Jack McGrath, Bryan Byrne and Michael Bent have been selected in the Leinster front row.
Oisín Dowling will make his first senior start alongside Josh Murphy in the second row.
Will Connors continues his return from an ACL injury to start in the back row along with Max Deegan and Caelan Doris, who both came off the bench in last Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final victory over Toulouse.
Ryan Baird, who made two appearances for Ireland U20 in their recent Six Nations Grand Slam-winning campaign, could make his senior debut from the bench. He will become the 57th player used by Cullen this season should he be called upon.
