Leinster make six changes for PRO12 trip to face Ospreys
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has named his starting XV for the Guinness PRO12 game against the Ospreys tomorrow night in the Liberty Stadium.
There are six changes in total from the Leinster team that beat Connacht last time out in the RDS with three in the pack and a further three in the backs.
The province have to make do without the services of Fergus McFadden, who yesterday received a three week suspension for a stamp on Nathan White.
Cian Healy is also absent. He underwent knee surgery while also serving a suspension and is working to recover in time to participate in next month’s Six Nations Championship.
Rob Kearney retains his place at full back with brother Dave continuing on the left wing and club captain Isa Nacewa coming in on the right.
There is a positional switch at centre with Ben Te'o moving to outside and Luke Fitzgerald coming into the starting XV at inside centre.
Luke McGrath has recovered from the foot infection that kept him out of last week's game against to start at scrum-half. He will be joined in the half backs by Johnny Sexton who has recovered from the knee injury that forced him to leave the pitch early last week.
In the pack Jack McGrath and Richardt Strauss start again and are joined at tight head prop by Tadhg Furlong.
Devin Toner and Mike McCarthy are alongside each other once more in the second row.
It’s an all-international back row with Rhys Ruddock is joined by Sean O'Brien and Jamie Heaslip.
Ospreys v Leinster at the Liberty Stadium on Friday January 8 - kick-off - 7.45pm
: 15. Rob Kearney, 14. Isa Nacewa - capt., 13. Ben Te'o, 12. Luke Fitzgerald, 11. Dave Kearney, 10. Johnny Sexton, 9. Luke McGrath;1. Jack McGrath, 2. Richardt Strauss, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Devin Toner, 5. Mike McCarthy, 6. Rhys Ruddock, 7. Sean O'Brien, 8. Jamie Heaslip.
:16. Sean Cronin, 17. Peter Dooley, 18. Marty Moore, 19. Tom Denton, 20. Dominic Ryan, 21. Eoin Reddan, 22. Ian Madigan, 23. Noel Reid.
