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comeback trail

Sean O'Brien and Stuart Olding will start tomorrow's Leinster v Ulster friendly

Tullow’s finest flanker will get plenty of opportunity to carry from number eight.

SEAN O’BRIEN WILL start at number eight and captain for Leinster’s final friendly fixture against Ulster in Tallaght tomorrow.

With the Guinness Pro12 kick-off just a week away both Matt O’Connor and Les Kiss have selected as many senior players as possible to start.

Ulster include five new signings in the starting XV (including the returning Ian Humphreys), but the most notable inclusion is the 21-year-old Stuart Olding, who starts at inside centre alongside Jared Payne.

The Tallaght Stadium fixture (kick-off 4pm) will be the Irish international’s first game back after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligaments in November.

Jared Payne and Craig Gilroy with Stuart Olding This was the closest Olding got to the action so far in 2014. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Leinster will start with only one player without a senior competitive appearance in the Pro12, hooker Bryan Byrne. Though he have Ireland’s first choice props on either side.

Here are the teams in full:

Leinster: Z Kirchner; F McFadden, B Macken, N Reid, D Fanning; J Gopperth, L McGrath: C Healy, B Byrne, M Ross; K McLaughlin, M McCarthy; J Conan, S Jennings, S O’Brien (Capt.)

Replacements: TBC.

Ulster: L Ludik; M Allen, J Payne, S Olding, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, P Marshall: A Warwick, R Herring, W Herbst; D Tuohy, F van der Merwe; R Diack, S Reidy, R Wilson (Capt.)

Replacements: R Murphy, J Andrew, D Fitzpatrick, A O’Connor, N McComb, C Joyce, C Ross, N Williams, C Black, K McCall, B Ross, L Stevenson, M MCComish, M Heaney, D Shanahan, S O’Hagan, R Adair, J Stockdale, R Scholes, R Andrew.

‘The problem with rugby players in Ireland is that they’re comparing every coach to Joe Schmidt’ – Tom Court

Pre-season training just ain’t what it used to be for rugby players

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