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oe Schmidt with Brad Thorn at the Aviva Stadium this morning. INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan

Blue on blue: Leinster name full-strength side to face Cardiff

The European champions face the Welsh side at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow evening.

JOE SCHMIDT HAS announced his starting XV for the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Cardiff Blues at Lansdowne Rd tomorrow.

Leo Cullen will skipper the side; he’s named in a pack that shows some changes from win over Munster in Limerick last Saturday.

Cullen partners Brad Thorn at second row, with Sean O’Brien coming into the back-row alongside Kevin McLaughlin and number eight Jamie Heaslip.

Eoin Reddan partners Jonathan Sexton while Gordon D’Arcy forms the midfield two with old friend Brian O’Driscoll.

Leinster (v Cardiff Blues): R Kearney, I Nacewa, B O’Driscoll, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald, J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross, L Cullen (c), B Thorn, K McLaughlin, S O’Brien, J Heaslip.

Replacements: S Cronin, H van der Merwe, N White, D Toner, S Jennings, I Boss, I Madigan, F McFadden.

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