Rugby - Team News:New Zealand Maori prop Clint Newland will make his Leinster debut against the Dragons while Gavin Duffy's 100th Connacht cap beckons as attentions briefly turn to Magners League action amid the busy autumn international schedule during November.
Newland will line up in a frontrow which includes Heinke van der Merwe and Richardt Strauss, Leinster’s player of the Month. In all there are four Ireland internationals in the pack including Leo Cullen who leads the side.
Isaac Boss and Shaun Berne for the halfback partnership with Eoin O’Malley continuing his centre partnership with Fergus McFadden. Isa Nacewa is named in the back three alongside Shane Horgan and David Kearney.
Ed O’Donoghue was named on the bench after missing the last five games through injury.
Kick-off at the RDS tomorrow night is 7.05pm and though almost 15,000 tickets have been sold for the game there is still availability from the usual outlets.
Leinster narrowly scraped over the line 19-18 when they hosted Edinburgh last time out, while the Dragons got the better of the Ospreys. Leinster and the Dragons are sixth and 10th respectively in the standings.
The Leinster ‘A’ team to face the Ulster Ravens in Donnybrook on Saturday (kick-off 1pm) was also named. The game is free to Leinster season ticket holders.
In Connacht Duffy will win his 100th cap for the province when they line out against Ospreys at the Sportsground tomorrow night (kick-off 7pm).
Coach Eric Elwood will hope to build on the success of last week’s famous win over international side Samoa at the same venue.
With attentions briefly turned to league action, the coach has named Duffy at fullback from where he will make his landmark appearance.
Miah Nikora, Eoin Griffin and Troy Nathan all win starts in the backline after impressive performances against Samoa.
Up front Dermot Murphy will start at hooker alongside Brett Wilkinson and Jamie Hagan with Michael Swift and Bernie Upton to renew their secondrow partnership.
An experienced backrow shows Michael McCarthy and Johnny O’Connor line out alongside John Muldoon, who starts at number eight.
Connacht lost their last league outing away to Treviso last month, while Ospreys lost at home to the Dragons. Ospreys and Connacht are eighth and 11th respectively in the table.
After the two week break Ulster return to action against Cardiff Blues at the Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday 21st (kick-off 3.45pm).
Coach Brian McLaughlin has named a 27-man squad ahead of the game and will finalise his starting XV and replacements tomorrow.
Leinster team (v Dragons):H van der Merwe, R Strauss, C Newland, L Cullen (C), T Hogan, R Ruddock, S Jennings, S Keogh. I Nacewa, S Horgan, E O'Malley, F McFadden, D Kearney, S Berne, I Boss, Replacements: J Harris-Wright, J McGrath, M Ross, E O'Donoghue, D Ryan, P O'Donohoe, I Madigan, A Conway
Connacht team (v Ospreys):B Wilkinson, D Murphy, J Hagan, M Swift, B Upton, M McCarthy, J O'Connor, J Muldoon, F Murphy, M Nikora, F Carr, K Matthews, E Griffin, T Nathan, G Duffy. Replacements: R Loughney, B Faamausili, D Rogers, A Browne, E Taylor, C Willis, I Keatley, D Fanning
Ulster squad (v Cardiff):J Cronin, P McAllister, B Young, BJ Botha, A Kyriacou, N Brady, T Barker, R Caldwell, D Tuohy, J Muller, W Faloon, R Diack, P Wannenburg, C Henry, A D'Arcy, D McIlwaine, T Seymour, S Danielli, C Gilroy, L Marshall, J Smith, N Spence, I Whitten, I Humphreys, N O'Connor, P Marshall, I Porter