Eric Elwood and Joe Schmidt have named their sides for tomorrow nights inter-pro derby at the Sportsground with some familiar names making their first starts of the season.
By Declan Whooley
The Connacht coach has had to contend with an injury crisis, with 15 players unavailable for the trip to Glasgow last Friday, but does give marquee signing Dan Parks his first start in Connacht colours. Robbie Henshaw takes the full-back position with injury ruling out captain Gavin Duffy.
Tiernan O’Halloran and Fetu’u Vainikolo return to the wings with Eoin Griffin joining Dave McSharry in the centre.
Denis Buckley comes into the front row instead of Brett Wilkinson with Nathan White is captaining the side from the other side of the front-row. Michael Swift makes his 150th appearance from the second-row while George Naoupu returns to a more familiar role in the back-row with Willie Faloon dropping to the bench.
Joe Schmidt welcomes back Rob Kearney for his first start of the season and the full-back joins Gordon D’Arcy and Fergus McFadden in a strong back-line. Brendan Macken is rewarded for his brace last week with the coveted number 13 jersey.
John Cooney will partner Ian Madigan at half-back, while Heinke van der Merwe comes in at loosehead prop, with an all-international front-row named on the substitute’s bench.
Shane Jennings will captain the side and is joined in the back-row by Ben Marshall and Leo Auva’a, while Quinn Roux makes just his second appearance in Leinster colours in the second row.
Connacht v Leinster, The Sportsground, KO 8pm, Live on TG4
Connacht: R Henshaw; T O’Halloran, E Griffin, D McSharry, F Vainikolo; D Parks, K Marmion; D Buckley, A Flavin, N White (c); M Swift, M McCarthy; E McKeon, J O’Connor, G Naoupu.
Leinster: R Kearney; F McFadden, B Macken, G D’Arcy, I Nacewa; I Madigan, J Cooney; H van der Merwe, T Sexton, J Hagan; Q Roux, T Denton; B Marshall, S Jennings (c), L Auva’a.
Here is look again at one of the funniest clips in recent years which featured both sides in action. Felipe Contepomi battling against the Galway wind to just about score a penalty.
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