LEINSTER HEAD COACH Leo Cullen has handed a debut to Rónan Kelleher ahead of his side’s Guinness PRO14 match against Isuzu Southern Kings tomorrow evening at the RDS Arena (kick Off: 7.55pm – live on eir Sport).
Kelleher, who starts at hooker, will become the 54th player to represent the Irish side at senior level this season.
The 21-year-old Lansdowne player is in his second year at the Leinster Academy, and is the younger brother of Connacht back Cian Kelleher.
Ross Molony captains the province, who are without several players due to international commitments, while Fergus McFadden returns from a hamstring injury to start on the right wing.
Jack Dunne, who made his debut in last weekend’s bonus-point win away to Zebre, is named among the replacements, and could make his first-ever senior appearance at the RDS.
Leinster (v Southern Kings):
15. Barry Daly
14. Fergus McFadden
13. Conor O’Brien
12. Noel Reid
11. James Lowe
10. Ross Byrne
9. Hugh O’Sullivan
1. Ed Byrne
2. Rónan Kelleher
3. Andrew Porter
4. Ross Molony (captain)
5. Mick Kearney
6. Josh Murphy
7. Max Deegan
8. Caelan Doris
Replacements:
16. James Tracy
17. Peter Dooley
18. Michael Bent
19. Jack Dunne
20. Scott Fardy
21. Paddy Patterson
22. Jimmy O’Brien
23. Rory O’Loughlin
Murray Kinsella, Andy Dunne and Gavan Casey look ahead to Ireland’s Six Nations meeting with Italy and discuss the week’s biggest stories in the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly.
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