LEINSTER HAVE NAMED Ross Byrne to start at out-half in tomorrow’s Guinness Pro14 final against Munster at the RDS [KO 5pm, eir Sport/TG4].
Johnny Sexton is on the Leinster bench along with Tadhg Furlong and Ryan Baird, but Leo Cullen has brought Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan, Robbie Henshaw, and Jordan Larmour straight back into his starting XV.
Meanwhile, Munster have named their strongest team to start, with Joey Carbery at out-half and Ireland internationals Peter O’Mahony, CJ Stander, Tadhg Beirne, Keith Earls, and Conor Murray coming back in.
Dave Kilcoyne is on the bench having had to come through the return-to-play protocols this week after a head injury in Ireland’s win over England, with the in-form James Cronin starting at loosehead prop.
With Sexton on the bench, scrum-half Luke McGrath captains Leinster, who have gone for the returning Hugo Keenan and Larmour in their back three along with Dave Kearney, meaning James Lowe is on the bench. Devin Toner will become Leinster’s most-capped player of all time on 262 as he partners Scott Fardy in the second row.
Leinster:
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Jordan Larmour
13. Rory O’Loughlin
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Dave Kearney
10. Ross Byrne
9. Luke McGrath (captain)
1. Cian Healy
2. Rónan Kelleher
3. Andrew Porter
4. Devin Toner
5. Scott Fardy
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan
Replacements:
16. James Tracy
17. Ed Byrne
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Ross Molony
20 Ryan Baird
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Johnny Sexton
23. James Lowe
Munster:
15. Mike Haley
14. Andrew Conway
13. Chris Farrell
12. Damian de Allende
11. Keith Earls
10. Joey Carbery
9. Conor Murray
1. James Cronin
2. Niall Scannell
3. John Ryan
4. Jean Kleyn
5. Tadhg Beirne
6. Gavin Coombes
7. Peter O’Mahony (captain)
8. CJ Stander
Replacements: