LEINSTER HEAD COACH Leo Cullen has been able to bring Andrew Porter back into his starting XV for tomorrow’s Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon in Dublin [KO 3pm, Premier Sports].
The Ireland loosehead prop is back from a shoulder/pec injury in a big boost for Leinster, who have had serious injury travails in the position this season.
However, tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong is among those to miss out on the clash at the Aviva Stadium due to injury, with Thomas Clarkson starting in the number three shirt and Rabah Slimani backing him up from the bench.
Robbie Henshaw has got the nod at inside centre, meaning Jamie Osborne is included on the Leinster bench, while Rieko Ioane has been named on the left wing, with Jimmy O’Brien unfortunate to miss out on making the matchday 23.
Ioane makes up the back three with Hugo Keenan and Tommy O’Brien, while Henshaw joins Garry Ringrose in midfield. The starting halfback partnership is made up of Jamison Gibson-Park and Harry Byrne.
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Porter joins Dan Sheehan and Clarkson in the front row, Joe McCarthy and James Ryan team up in the second row, and the back row includes Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, and captain Caelan Doris.
Sam Prendergast has been included as part of a 5/3 Leinster bench split, meaning Ciaréan Frawley misses out, with Alex Soroka and Scott Penny covering the back five of the scrum.
Meanwhile, Toulon are captained by second row David Ribbans, with their team including in-form wing Gaël Drean and fellow France internationals Charles Ollivon and Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Leinster:
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Tommy O’Brien
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Rieko Ioane
10. Harry Byrne
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Thomas Clarkson
4. Joe McCarthy
5. James Ryan
6. Jack Conan
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher
17. Jerry Cahir
18. Rabah Slimani
19. Alex Soroka
20. Scott Penny
21. Luke McGrath
22. Sam Prendergast
23. Jamie Osborne
Toulon:
15. Melvyn Jaminet
14. Gaël Drean
13. Nacho Brex
12. Jérémy Sinzelle
11. Setariki Tuicuvu
10. Tomas Albornoz
9. Ben White
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Porter starts for Leinster as Henshaw and Ioane get nod in backline
LEINSTER HEAD COACH Leo Cullen has been able to bring Andrew Porter back into his starting XV for tomorrow’s Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon in Dublin [KO 3pm, Premier Sports].
The Ireland loosehead prop is back from a shoulder/pec injury in a big boost for Leinster, who have had serious injury travails in the position this season.
However, tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong is among those to miss out on the clash at the Aviva Stadium due to injury, with Thomas Clarkson starting in the number three shirt and Rabah Slimani backing him up from the bench.
Robbie Henshaw has got the nod at inside centre, meaning Jamie Osborne is included on the Leinster bench, while Rieko Ioane has been named on the left wing, with Jimmy O’Brien unfortunate to miss out on making the matchday 23.
Ioane makes up the back three with Hugo Keenan and Tommy O’Brien, while Henshaw joins Garry Ringrose in midfield. The starting halfback partnership is made up of Jamison Gibson-Park and Harry Byrne.
Porter joins Dan Sheehan and Clarkson in the front row, Joe McCarthy and James Ryan team up in the second row, and the back row includes Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, and captain Caelan Doris.
Sam Prendergast has been included as part of a 5/3 Leinster bench split, meaning Ciaréan Frawley misses out, with Alex Soroka and Scott Penny covering the back five of the scrum.
Meanwhile, Toulon are captained by second row David Ribbans, with their team including in-form wing Gaël Drean and fellow France internationals Charles Ollivon and Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Leinster:
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Tommy O’Brien
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Rieko Ioane
10. Harry Byrne
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Thomas Clarkson
4. Joe McCarthy
5. James Ryan
6. Jack Conan
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher
17. Jerry Cahir
18. Rabah Slimani
19. Alex Soroka
20. Scott Penny
21. Luke McGrath
22. Sam Prendergast
23. Jamie Osborne
Toulon:
15. Melvyn Jaminet
14. Gaël Drean
13. Nacho Brex
12. Jérémy Sinzelle
11. Setariki Tuicuvu
10. Tomas Albornoz
9. Ben White
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Teddy Baubigny
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Corentin Mezou
5. David Ribbans (captain)
6. Junior Kpoku
7. Charles Ollivon
8. Mikheil Shioshvili
Replacements:
16. Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Daniel Brennan
18. Beka Gigashvili
19. Matthias Halagahu
20. Zach Mercer
21. Baptiste Serin
22. Esteban Abadie
23. Mathis Ferte
Referee: Luke Pearce [RFU].
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Champions Cup Leinster Team news Toulon