LEINSTER COACH MATT O’Connor has selected an unchanged team to face Northampton Saints in their Heineken Cup Pool 1 clash in Dublin tomorrow [KO 6.00pm].
The superb performance at Franklin’s Gardens last weekend has convinced the Australian that changes are not required, and he will be hoping for a similar result as last weekend’s against the Saints at the Aviva Stadium.
Ian Madigan continues at out-half, from where he will be making his 90th Leinster appearance. Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy continue their midfield partnership, while Rhys Ruddock gets another chance to impress in the back row.
Elshwhere, Connacht coach Pat Lam has made three changes to his starting XV to take on Toulouse in Galway tomorrow evening [KO 6.00pm], with two of those in the front row. Jason Harris-Wright and Rodney Ah You come into the side in place of Sean Henry and Nathan White respectively.
Eoin McKeon gets the nod to start at No. 8, having impressed so greatly off the bench in last weekend’s shock win in France. George Naoupu drops to the bench to accommodate the Galway native.
Meanwhile, Ulster have named an unchanged team for their away clash with Treviso in Pool 5. Head coach Mark Anscombe will be expecting his players to back up last weekend’s dominant 48-0 win over the Italian side.
This is the first time in his year and a half spell with Ulster that Anscombe has named the same match-day 23 for two consecutive matches. Second row Dan Tuohy is set for his 100th appearance for this province, while prop John Afoa will make his 50th.
Leinster (v Northampton): Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross; Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy; Rhys Ruddock, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip (capt.).Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Michael Bent, Martin Moore, Leo Cullen, Shane Jennings, John Cooney, Jimmy Gopperth, Zane Kirchner.
Ulster (v Treviso): Jared Payne; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Tom Court, Rob Herring, John Afoa, Johann Muller (c), Dan Tuohy, Robbie Diack, Sean Doyle, Roger Wilson.Replacements: Niall Annett, Callum Black, Declan Fitzpatrick, Neil McComb, Mike McComish, Paul Marshall, Michael Allen, David McIlwaine.
Connacht (v Toulouse): Robbie Henshaw; Fionn Carr, Eoin Griffin, Dave McSharry, Matt Healy; Dan Parks, Kieran Marmion; Brett Wilkinson, Jason Harris Wright, Rodney Ah You, Mick Kearney, Craig Clarke (c), John Muldoon, Jake Heenan, Eoin McKeon.Replacements: Sean Henry, Denis Buckley, Nathan White, Andrew Browne, George Naoupu, Frank Murphy, Craig Ronaldson, Gavin Duffy.
