Brian O’Driscoll has recovered from concussion to take his place in the Leinster team to face Northampton in one of a number of cracking Heineken Cup ties this weekend.
O’Driscoll had to withdraw from the fray during the (still devastating to think about) defeat to the All-Blacks two weeks ago, but has been passed fit to face Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday evening.
Ian Madigan partners Eoin Reddan at half back, Luke Fitzgerald joins the brothers Kearney in the back three and Leo Cullen is on the bench as he continues his return from a heel injury.
Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony return to the Munster starting line-up for the first time in a month for the meeting with Perpignan on Sunday afternoon.
Murray will take his place alongside Ian Keatley at half-back, Damien Varley replaces injury victim Mike Sherry at hooker and Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan will resume their second row partnership for the visit of the Top 14 side to Thomond Park.
Elsewhere, Jared Payne, Ruan Pienaar and Johann Muller are all named in the Ulster team named to play Treviso while John Muldoon and George Naoupu return to the Connacht side for the daunting trip to Toulouse on Sunday afternoon.
Leinster team to play Northampton: Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross; Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy; Rhys Ruddock, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip (Captain)
Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Jack McGrath, Martin Moore, Leo Cullen, Shane Jennings, Isaac Boss, Jimmy Gopperth, Zane Kirchner
Munster team to play Perpignan: Felix Jones; Keith Earls, Casey Laulala, James Downey, Johne Murphy; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley, Stephen Archer; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell (Capt.); Peter O’Mahony, Sean Dougall, James Coughlan
Replacements: Duncan Casey, James Cronin, BJ Botha, Billy Holland, CJ Stander, Cathal Sheridan, JJ Hanrahan, Denis Hurley
Leinster team to play Northampton: Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross; Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy; Rhys Ruddock, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip (Captain)
Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Jack McGrath, Martin Moore, Leo Cullen, Shane Jennings, Isaac Boss, Jimmy Gopperth, Zane Kirchner
Ulster team to play Treviso: J Payne; A Trimble, D Cave. L Marshall, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; T Court, R Herring, J Afoa; J Muller (Captain), D Tuohy; R Diack, S Doyle, R Wilson
Replacements: N Annett, C Black, D Fitzpatrick, N McComb, M McComish, P Marshall, M Allen, D McIlwaine.
Connacht team to play Toulouse: Robbie Henshaw; Fionn Carr, Eoin Griffin, Dave McSharry, Matt Healy; Dan Parks, Kieran Marmion; Brett Wilkinson, Sean Henry, Nathan White; Mick Kearney, Craig Clarke (captain); John Muldoon, Jake Heenan, George Naoupu
Replacements: Jason Harris-Wright, Denis Buckley, Rodney Ah You, Michael Swift, Eoin McKeon, Frank Murphy, Craig Ronaldson, Gavin Duffy
Heineken Cup fixtures (all on Sky Sports)
Northampton v Leinster, Saturday 6pm
Ulster v Benetton Treviso, Saturday 6pm
Munster v Perpignan, Sunday 12.45pm
Connacht v Toulouse, Sunday 4pm
Don’t forget to get involved with the Heineken Star Predictor ‘Get in The Game’ where you can put your rugby knowledge to the test by predicting the outcome of this weekend’s games. The top prize is a pair of VIP tickets to the 2014 Heineken Cup Final in Cardiff and there are other prizes to be won throughout the season. Click here to start predicting.
Toulouse v Connacht, Sunday 4pm
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
