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Three changes for Leinster, who also go with a six/two bench split
By Liam Heagney
Leo Cullen has named a Leinster team for this Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup final versus Toulouse which has three changes from the XV that started the semi-final win 20 days ago against Northampton.
The Irish province clung onto a 20-17 victory at Croke Park and they have now reacted by altering one back and two of their pack as they seek to win their fifth title following defeats in the past two finals versus La Rochelle.
Hugo Keenan, James Ryan, and Will Connors all made their comebacks in last Saturday’s United Rugby Championship loss to Ulster from various recent injuries.
However, only two of these returnees will start in London as Ryan has been held in reserve.
Full-back Keenan, who had a knee problem since the early April round-of-16 win over Leicester, replaces Ciaran Frawley, who drops to a bench with a six/two forwards/backs split which is a change from the five-three tactic used against Northampton.
Second row Ryan, who was out with a ruptured bicep sustained in a “freak” training ground injury with Ireland in the lead-up to their early March Guinness Six Nations loss to England, will join Frawley on the bench.
South African Jason Jenkins, a sub against the Saints, has been promoted to the starting XV with Ross Molony excluded from the match day 23.
Openside Connors, meanwhile, was a late withdrawal from this month’s league win over Ospreys, crying off as a precautionary. He proved his fitness versus Ulster last weekend and will now start against Toulouse with Josh van der Flier, the 2022 World Rugby player of the year, named as the additional forward on the bench.
The inclusion of Frawley and van der Flier amongst the replacements has resulted in both Harry Byrne and Jimmy O'Brien giving up the bench spots they had for the semi-final.
Leinster (vs Toulouse, Saturday):
15. Hugo Keenan (65)
14. Jordan Larmour (104)
13. Robbie Henshaw (88)
12. Jamie Osborne (43)
11. James Lowe (78)
10. Ross Byrne (158)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (138)
1. Andrew Porter (118)
2. Dan Sheehan (59)
3. Tadhg Furlong (143)
4. Joe McCarthy (32)
5. Jason Jenkins (37)
6. Ryan Baird (66)
7. Will Connors (48)
8. Caelan Doris (79) CAPTAIN
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (60)
17. Cian Healy (276)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (68)
19. James Ryan (80)
20. Jack Conan (144)
21. Luke McGrath (208)
22. Ciaran Frawley (84)
23. Josh van der Flier (139)
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Latest Comments
Agreed. As a Saffa I have much respect for the ABs. I also have to say given any option I would ONLY prefer to lose to ABs. To lose to England is probably the most embarrassing think to happen to either of us.
There was a time when both of us lost to England and we both hated it. Thankfully those days are behind us. Kudos to you guys, kudos to ABs. But dear old BS seems to hate us Boks. No idea why.
Go to commentsI got the sense that holding him to it was kickback from SB and the rfu smarting at being jilted quite so soon, so unexpectedly and so publicly.
Seem to remember that they spoke to Gustard before appointing Joe and you really have to think he would have come in at a higher level?
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