SAM PRENDERGAST STARTS at 10 for Leinster as they begin their URC campaign away to Edinburgh tomorrow evening (KO: 7:35pm, TG4 and Premier Sport).

Fellow half-back Jamison Gibson-Park returns from the hamstring injury which kept him out of Ireland’s summer Test against South Africa.  

Jack Conan captains the side at No 8, with Max Deegan and Scott Penny filling out an unchanged back row from the 54-26 pre-season win over Northampton Saints two weeks ago.

📥 | 𝙒𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠!

Here's the #LeinsterRugby team to face @EdinburghRugby in the @URCOfficial tomorrow night

2⃣8⃣0⃣ Cian Healy to equal Devin Toner's appearance record
3⃣ Academy players in the starting XV
🆕 Rabah Slimani set for debut #EDIvLEI #FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/bI69ATBoQL

— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) September 19, 2024

Conor O’Tighearnaigh, who started against both Bordeaux-Bègles and Northampton in pre-season, partners James Ryan in the second row as one of three Academy players to earn a starting berth.

Former Ireland U20 captain Gus McCarthy makes his first senior start for Leinster and is joined in the front row by Michael Milne and Thomas Clarkson. Third year Academy player Charlie Tector has been given the nod at centre alongside Garry Ringrose.

Jamie Osborne has been named at full-back after some impressive displays there against the Springboks, with Tommy O’Brien and Jordan Larmour on the wings. 

New signing Rabah Slimani prepares for his Leinster debut off the bench, while Cian Healy will equal Devin Toner’s record of 280 Leinster appearances if he is introduced to the game. 

🔥New season HWG!

Your Edinburgh side to face @leinsterrugby tomorrow evening at Hive Stadium 👊🏰 pic.twitter.com/6LDfAWEMin

— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) September 19, 2024

Healy made his senior debut as a teenager in May 2007. Then, at 19, he came off the bench to replace Reggie Corrigan in a 31-0 win over the now-defunct Border Reivers at Donnybrook.

John McKee, Brian Deeny and James Culhane provide the rest of the forward cover. Rob Russell joins the veteran half-back duo of Luke McGrath and Ross Byrne as the final replacements for Friday night’s season opener. 

Leinster

• 15. Jamie Osborne
• 14. Tommy O’Brien
• 13. Garry Ringrose
• 12. Charlie Tector
• 11. Jordan Larmour
• 10. Sam Prendergast
• 9. Jamison Gibson-Park 

• 1. Michael Milne
• 2. Gus McCarthy
• 3. Thomas Clarkson
• 4. Conor O’Tighearnaigh
• 5. James Ryan
• 6. Max Deegan
• 7. Scott Penny
• 8. Jack Conan (Capt)

Replacements:  

• 16. John McKee
• 17. Cian Healy
• 18. Rabah Slimani
• 19. Brian Deeny
• 20. James Culhane
• 21. Luke McGrath
• 22. Ross Byrne
• 23. Rob Russell