Dec 21,2024
The Leinster team to take on Connacht in the URC on Saturday evening sees Alex Soroka make his first appearance of the season, while international trio Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham all return for the visitors.
Jack Conan captains Leinster from number eight with Soroka and Scott Penny joining him in the back row in a side that shows 13 changes from that which defeated Clermont Auvergne in the Champions Cup.
Jordie Barrett switches to 12 and Jimmy O'Brien swapping from the wing to full-back.
Diarmuid Mangan is one of five academy players named in the starting XV and he will partner RG Snyman in the second row. Jack Boyle and Rabah Slimani will scrum down either side of academy hooker Gus McCarthy in a repeat of the same front row who faced Connacht in October.
The experienced duo of Ross Byrne and Luke McGrath will steer the ship from the half-back positions, with Academy star Charlie Tector selected to partner Barrett in the centre.
With O'Brien at full-back, Andrew Osborne, who scored in October's win over Pete Wilkins' in Galway, and Aitzol Arenzana-King have been given the nod on the wings.
Lee Barron, Michael Milne and Cian Healy provide the front row cover from the bench with Brian Deeny, Ryan Baird and Max Deegan offering further reinforcements in a 6:2 split.
Jamison Gibson-Park and Harry Byrne will provide a change of pace as the replacement half-backs.
For Connacht, iBundee Aki, Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham all start for the first time since the November internationals, with two other players named in that Ireland squad - captain Cian Prendergast and Dave Heffernan - also in the starting XV.
Elsewhere Josh Ioane returns from injury to play for the first time since the end of October – he lines out at out-half with Ben Murphy alongside him at scrum-half.
Denis Buckley completes a vastly experienced front row with Heffernan and Bealham, while Josh Murphy moves to the second row to partner Darragh Murray. The in-form Paul Boyle starts at number eight, with Shamus Hurley-Langton as openside flanker.
In the backs, Cathal Forde moves to the #13 jersey alongside Aki, Piers O'Conor also returns from injury to start at full-back, and winger Shane Jennings completes the side.
The coaching team have opted for a 6:2 split on the bench with Sean Jansen returning from suspension, Santiago Cordero covering the back field and Conor Oliver again wearing 23.
Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien; Aitzol Arenzana-King, Charlie Tector, Jordie Barrett, Andrew Osborne, Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani, Diarmuid Mangan, RG Snyman, Alex Soroka, Scott Penny, Jack Conan (capt).
Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Cian Healy, Brian Deeny, Ryan Baird, Jamison Gibson-Park, Harry Byrne, Max Deegan.
Connacht: Piers O’Conor; Mack Hansen, Cathal Forde, Bundee Aki, Shane Jennings, Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy; Denis Buckley; Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Josh Murphy, Darragh Murray, Cian Prendergast (capt), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Oisín Dowling, Sean Jansen, Caolin Blade, Santiago Cordero, Conor Oliver.
