1
Six Ireland players named in Leinster 23 for Connacht
By Online Editors
Leinster Rugby have welcomed back six Ireland players to their matchday squad to take on Connacht in the first interprovincial derby of the season at The Sportsground in Round 6 of the Guinness PRO14.
Robbie Henshaw, Luke McGrath, Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, Rhys Ruddock and Rob Kearney all return to the team three weeks after Ireland were dumped out of the Rugby World Cup by New Zealand.
Cullen has made a number of changes from the team that accounted for Dragons last week in the RDS and also welcomes back six players that were away in Japan with Ireland.
Hugo Keenan has returned to the starting XV as he has recovered from the ankle injury picked up in the away win against Zebre, while Adam Byrne comes in on the right wing and James Lowe continues on the left.
Joe Tomane comes in at 12 this week with Robbie Henshaw making his first appearance of the season in blue outside him.
Another to make his seasonal bow is Luke McGrath who starts at scrumhalf with Ross Byrne at ten beside him.
In the pack Cian Healy and Andrew Porter come back in to the side, with Rónan Kelleher again selected at hooker.
Devin Toner is in the second row with captain Scott Fardy completing the tight five.
In the back row Josh Murphy, Will Connors and Max Deegan are the trio selected by Cullen to take on Connacht, who lie second in Conference B of the Guinness PRO14.
On the bench there is a welcome return from a neck injury for Ed Byrne, while Rhys Ruddock and Rob Kearney are the final two players involved with Ireland during the recent Rugby World Cup in Japan to be included.
Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Hugo Keenan (9)
14. Adam Byrne (54)
13. Robbie Henshaw (37)
12. Joe Tomane (17)
11. James Lowe (33)
10. Ross Byrne (75)
9. Luke McGrath (113)
1. Cian Healy (208)
2. Rónan Kelleher (6)
3. Andrew Porter (53)
4. Devin Toner (235)
5. Scott Fardy (47) CAPTAIN
6. Josh Murphy (25)
7. Will Connors (8)
8. Max Deegan (51)
16. James Tracy (97)
17. Ed Byrne (45)
18. Michael Bent (129)
19. Ross Molony (87)
20. Rhys Ruddock (161)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (75)
22. Ciarán Frawley (15)
23. Rob Kearney (210)
Referee: Sean Gallagher (IRFU)
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Latest Comments
My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,
Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Mun better V Ireland better prep than England.
The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,
{starting} bench (3rd choice)
1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi (Williams)
2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)
Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!
3 {Lomax}/ Tosi (Newell )
Tosi immense strength V England
4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry
( Isaia Walker-Leawere)
Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)
6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi )
9 {Roigard } Ratima ( TJ )
10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)
12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )
13 {Proctor} Ioane ( AJ Lam )
Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not Sexton!)
14 { Tele’a} Reece (bkup W.Jordan )
11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)
15 {W.Jordan} Love (Stevenson)
Go to commentsI guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
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