LEINSTER HAVE NAMED an unchanged starting XV for tomorrow’s Champions Cup semi-final against Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium. [KO 3pm; Live BT Sport]
The only change to the squad is forced by injury: Tommy O’Brien has suffered an ACL injury and his place on the bench is taken by Ciarán Frawley.
Thus Johnny Sexton captains the side with Jamison Gibson-Park alongside him at scrum-half. Jimmy O’Brien makes his 50th Leinster appearance in a back three that also features James Lowe and Hugo Keenan. Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose reprise their centre partnership.
Leinster can call on an international front row of Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong, with James Ryan and Ross Molony behind them. Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan are the back row. Molony is the only member of the Leinster pack who did not start Ireland’s Six Nations clash with France in Paris earlier this year.
The starting Toulouse team, meanwhile, features six of the French side that started that Six Nations clash, including half-back pairing Romain Ntamack and Antoine Dupont along with captain Julien Marchand, prop Cyril Baille and back-rowers Francois Cros and Anthony Jelonch.
Away from Saturday’s meeting in Dublin, Toulouse have today announced the signing of Italian international Ange Capuozzo. The full-back created the stunning try that earned Italy their sole 2022 Six Nations win against Wales, and joins from second-tier Grenoble.
Leinster
15. Hugo Keenan; 14. Jimmy O’Brien; 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. James Lowe; 10. Johnny Sexton CAPTAIN, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park; 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Rónan Kelleher, 3. Tadhg Furlong; 4. Ross Molony, 5. James Ryan; 6. Caelan Doris, 7. Josh van der Flier , 8. Jack Conan
Replacements: 16. Dan Sheehan. 17. Cian Healy, 18. Michael Ala’alatoa, 19. Joe McCarthy. 20. Rhys Ruddock, 21. Luke McGrath, 22. Ross Byrne, 23. Ciarán Frawley (52)
Toulouse
15. Thomas Ramos; 14. Juan Cruz Mallia; 13. Pierre Fouyssac, 12. Pita Ahki; 11. Matthis Lebel; 10. Romain Ntamack, 9. Antoine Dupont; 1. Cyril Baille, 2. Julien Marchand CAPTAIN, 3. Dorian Aldegheri; 4. Rory Arnold, 5. Emmanuel Meafou; 6. Rynhardt Elstadt, 7. Anthony Jelonch, 8. François Cros
Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Rodrigue Neti, David Ainuʻu, Joe Tekori, Selevasio Tolofua, Thibaud Flament, Martin Page-Relo, Zack Holmes
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