LEO CULLEN HAS named several Leinster young guns in his team to face Bath in a friendly at The Rec tomorrow [KO 7.15pm, live on Bath Rugby TikTok].
Former Ireland U20 star Henry McErlean starts at full-back, having done so on his debut against Benetton in the URC last month.
A Grand Slam winner with the U20s last year, McErlean was an underage hurling prodigy in Cushendall, Co. Antrim before his family relocated in Dublin and he focused on rugby at St Michael’s College.
Rhys Ruddock captains Leinster tomorrow, with nine players who started against Cardiff last time out included.
McErlean, 21, is one of five Academy players in the backline, with the uncapped Andrew Osborne and Aitzol King on the wings and Liam Turner and Ben Brownlee in the centre.
Sam Prendergast starts at 10, with Fintan Gunne the scrum-half.
Uncapped Academy duo Gus McCarthy and Diarmuid Mangan also get the nod at hooker and in the back row respectively.
UCD duo Bobby Sheehan and Luke Kritzinger are among the replacements, having impressed in the AIL. Sheehan is the younger brother of Leinster and Ireland hooker Dan, and was part of Ireland club XV side who defeated Portugal A in Lisbon last week.
Ross Molony, who is reportedly in line for a move to Bath at the end of the season, is also named on the bench.
Leinster (v Bath)
Caps in brackets
- 15. Henry McErlean (1)
- 14. Aitzol King (1)
- 13. Liam Turner (25)
- 12. Ben Brownlee (6)
- 11. Andrew Osborne (0)
- 10. Sam Prendergast (12)
- 9. Fintan Gunne (1)
- 1. Michael Milne (33)
- 2. Gus McCarthy (0)
- 3. Michael Ala’alatoa (60)
- 4. Brian Deeny (16)
- 5. Jason Jenkins (31)
- 6. Diarmuid Mangan (0)
- 7. Will Connors (45)
- 8. Rhys Ruddock (226) – captain
Subs From:
- Ed Byrne (99)
- Paddy McCarthy (4)
- Bobby Sheehan (0)
- Thomas Clarkson (35)
- Ross Molony (173)
- Conor O’Tighearnaigh (1)
- Scott Penny (66)
- Max Deegan (107)
- Luke McGrath (203)
- Charlie Tector (7)
- Rob Russell (26)
- Luke Kritzinger (0)
- Jamie Osborne (38).
