WILL CONNORS HAS been handed Leinster’s number seven shirt for tomorrow’s Champions Cup final against Toulouse in London [KO 2.45pm, RTÉ/TNT].
The Kildare man has been brought back into the starting XV for his third start of this Champions Cup campaign, with Josh van der Flier named as part of a 6/2 Leinster bench.
Experienced second row James Ryan is also part of a punchy-looking Leinster bench, with Springboks-capped lock Jason Jenkins named to start alongside Joe McCarthy, meaning Ross Molony misses out on the matchday 23. Ryan Baird will call the lineout, as he did in the quarter-final against La Rochelle.
Jordan Larmour starts on the right wing, with Jimmy O’Brien among those unlucky not to be involved against Toulouse.
It’s a familiar-looking Leinster team overall, with Larmour joined in the back three by left wing James Lowe and fullback Hugo Keenan, who returned from injury against Ulster last weekend.
With Garry Ringrose absent once again as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury, Robbie Henshaw and Jamie Osborne continue in midfield, while Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne make up the halfback pairing again.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, and Tadhg Furlong form a strong front row, with Baird and captain Caelan Doris completing the back row alongside Connors.
Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher, and Michael Ala’alatoa are the front row replacements, while Ryan, Jack Conan, and van der Flier will look to provide impact in the back five of the scrum.
Scrum-half Luke McGrath and the versatile Ciarán Frawley have been named as the two backs on the Leinster bench.
Toulouse have named an unchanged starting XV from their semi-final defeat of Harlequins, with Blair Kinghorn retaining his place at fullback and Thomas Ramos again starting on the bench.
There is however a positional switch in the Toulouse backrow, with Jack Willis named at blindside flanker and François Cros moving to openside.
Joshua Brennan, son of former Ireland international Trevor, has been named on the Toulouse bench.
Leinster:
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Jordan Larmour
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Jamie Osborne
11. James Lowe
10. Ross Byrne
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Joe McCarthy
5. Jason Jenkins
6. Ryan Baird
7. Will Connors
8. Caelan Doris (captain)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher
17. Cian Healy
18. Michael Ala’alatoa
19. James Ryan
20. Jack Conan
21. Luke McGrath
22. Ciarán Frawley
23. Josh van der Flier
Toulouse:
15. Blair Kinghorn
14. Juan Cruz Mallia
13. Paul Costes
12. Pita Ahki
11. Matthis Lebel
10. Romain Ntamack
9. Antoine Dupont (captain)
1. Cyril Baille
2. Peato Mauvaka
3. Dorian Aldegheri
4. Thibaud Flament
5. Emmanuel Meafou
6. Jack Willis
7. François Cros
8. Alexandre Roumat
Replacements:
16. Julien Marchand
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Joel Merkler
19. Richie Arnold
20. Joshua Brennan
21. Paul Graou
22. Santiago Chocobares
23. Thomas Ramos
Referee: Matthew Carley [RFU].
