ICA NACEWA HAS been named in the Leinster team to face Connacht in their RaboDirect PRO12 showdown at the Sportsground on Sunday (5pm).
He starts at at full back in a side which shows a number of changes from that which started the 42-13 victory over Ulster on St Stephen’s Day.
Andrew Conway, who successfully came through his first appearance this season on Monday, starts on the left wing with David Kearney on the right wing.
Leo Cullen leads the team and partners Damian Browne at second row with Jamie Hagan joining fellow Academy graduate Jack McGrath in the front row alongside Richardt Strauss.
Brendan Macken partners Eoin O’Malley at centre with Isaac Boss linking up with Ian Madigan at half back.
Final decisions on the makeup of the back-row, replacement back-row and in the replacement outside back slots will be made closer to kick off.
Connacht too have revealed their hand this morning. Mick Kearney is in for his first competitive start for the province at blindside flanker replacing the injured Dave Gannon.
Adrian Flavin, meanwhile, replaces Ethienne Reynecke at hooker in the other change in the pack. There are three changes to the starting backline; Frank Murphy makes way for Paul O’Donohoe at scrumhalf, Brian Tuohy replaces Fetu’u Vainikolo on the wing and new boy Kyle Tonetti takes over from the injured Dave McSharry.
Connacht: Gavin Duffy (capt), Brian Tuohy, Eoin Griffin, Kyle Tonetti, Tiernan O’Halloran, Niall O’Connor, Paul O’Donohoe, Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin, Ronan Loughney, George Naoupu, Mike McCarthy, Mick Kearney, Johnny O’Connor, John Muldoon.
Replacements: Ethienne Reynecke, Denis Buckley, Dylan Rogers, Eoin McKeon, TJ Anderson, Frank Murphy, Matthew Jarvis, Henry Fa’afili.
Leinster: Isa Nacewa, David Kearney, Eoin O‘Malley, Brendan Macken, Andrew Conway, Ian Madigan, Isaac Boss, Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Jamie Hagan, Leo Cullen (capt), Damian Browne, Rhys Ruddock, Kevin McLaughlin/Shane Jennings, Leo Auva‘a.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Heinke van der Merwe, Nathan White, Devin Toner, Shane Jennings/Jordi Murphy, John Cooney, Noel Reid/Fionn Carr, Luke Fitzgerald.
