MATT O’CONNOR HAS made a raft of positional and personnel changes from last week’s defeat of Zebre in the Guinness PRO12 as Leinster get set to take on Wasps in the Champions Cup this Sunday.
There are five changes to the front eight with captain Jamie Heaslip returning to the back row where he will be flanked by Rhys Ruddock and Dominic Ryan who returns after being rested against the Italian side.
Devin Toner comes in to start in the second row alongside Mike McCarthy with Kane Douglas dropping to the replacements while Sean Cronin starts in the front row in place of Richardt Strauss and Michael Bent comes in for Marty Moore. Jack McGrath starts at loosehead.
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Ian Madigan starts in place of Rob Kearney at fullback. Despite coming through the 80 minutes last weekend against Zebre, Kearney has had issues with back spasms during the week so is unavailable for selection. Zane Kirchner and Darragh Fanning keep their place on the wings.
Leinster also retain their midfield partnership of Noel Reid and Gordon D’Arcy from last week’s game while Eoin Reddan is joined by Jimmy Gopperth who takes Madigan’s place at 10.
Luke Fitzgerald is named among the replacements but there’s no place for Ben Te’o in the 23 despite starting to train with the province this week.
Leinster v Wasps kicks off at 5.15pm on Sunday and is live on BT Sports.
Leinster XV
15. Ian Madigan
14. Zane Kirchner
13. Gordon D’Arcy
12. Noel Reid
11. Darragh Fanning
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Eoin Reddan
1. Jack McGrath
2. Sean Cronin
3. Michael Bent
4. Devin Toner
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Dominic Ryan
8. Jamie Heaslip (Captain)
Replacements
16. Richardt Strauss
17. Ed Byrne
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Kane Douglas
20. Jack Conan
21. Isaac Boss
22. Mick McGrath
23. Luke Fitzgerald
Wasps XV
15. Andrea Masi
14. Christian Wade
13. Elliott Daly
12. Alapati Leiua
11. Sailosi Tagicakibau
10. Andy Goode
9. Joe Simpson
1. Matt Mullan
2. Carlo Festuccia
3. Lorenzo Cittadini
4. Joe Launchbury
5. Bradley Davies
6. Ashley Johnson
7. James Haskell (Captain)
8. Nathan Hughes
Replacements
16. Tom Lindsay
17. Simon McIntyre
18. Jake Cooper-Woolley
19. James Gaskell
20. Sam Jones
21. Charlie Davies
22. Rob Miller
23. Chris Bell
No place for Te'o as Leinster ring the changes ahead of Champions Cup debut
MATT O’CONNOR HAS made a raft of positional and personnel changes from last week’s defeat of Zebre in the Guinness PRO12 as Leinster get set to take on Wasps in the Champions Cup this Sunday.
There are five changes to the front eight with captain Jamie Heaslip returning to the back row where he will be flanked by Rhys Ruddock and Dominic Ryan who returns after being rested against the Italian side.
Devin Toner comes in to start in the second row alongside Mike McCarthy with Kane Douglas dropping to the replacements while Sean Cronin starts in the front row in place of Richardt Strauss and Michael Bent comes in for Marty Moore. Jack McGrath starts at loosehead.
Ian Madigan starts in place of Rob Kearney at fullback. Despite coming through the 80 minutes last weekend against Zebre, Kearney has had issues with back spasms during the week so is unavailable for selection. Zane Kirchner and Darragh Fanning keep their place on the wings.
Leinster also retain their midfield partnership of Noel Reid and Gordon D’Arcy from last week’s game while Eoin Reddan is joined by Jimmy Gopperth who takes Madigan’s place at 10.
Luke Fitzgerald is named among the replacements but there’s no place for Ben Te’o in the 23 despite starting to train with the province this week.
Leinster v Wasps kicks off at 5.15pm on Sunday and is live on BT Sports.
Leinster XV
15. Ian Madigan
14. Zane Kirchner
13. Gordon D’Arcy
12. Noel Reid
11. Darragh Fanning
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Eoin Reddan
1. Jack McGrath
2. Sean Cronin
3. Michael Bent
4. Devin Toner
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Dominic Ryan
8. Jamie Heaslip (Captain)
Replacements
16. Richardt Strauss
17. Ed Byrne
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Kane Douglas
20. Jack Conan
21. Isaac Boss
22. Mick McGrath
23. Luke Fitzgerald
Wasps XV
15. Andrea Masi
14. Christian Wade
13. Elliott Daly
12. Alapati Leiua
11. Sailosi Tagicakibau
10. Andy Goode
9. Joe Simpson
1. Matt Mullan
2. Carlo Festuccia
3. Lorenzo Cittadini
4. Joe Launchbury
5. Bradley Davies
6. Ashley Johnson
7. James Haskell (Captain)
8. Nathan Hughes
Replacements
16. Tom Lindsay
17. Simon McIntyre
18. Jake Cooper-Woolley
19. James Gaskell
20. Sam Jones
21. Charlie Davies
22. Rob Miller
23. Chris Bell
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