Rugby:Luke Fitzgerald and Sean O'Brien will make their long-awaited returns from injury when Leinster face Wasps tomorrow night. The pair have been named in Josef Schmidt's first selection since the new coach took charge of the province this summer.
Fitzgerald returns for the first time since rupturing knee ligaments against Australia last November while O’Brien, back from the broken leg he suffered in February, will captain the side.
New signing Heinke van der Merwe will make his first appearances at the RDS while another new recruit, Argentina’s Mariano Galarza, has been named on the bench. The 6’ 8” second row has agreed a short-term deal with the province after joining from Buenos Aires club Universitario de La Plata.
“Mariano has made a real impression for Argentina since his senior international debut and we are pleased to have secured his signature as cover until the end of January,” said Leinster manager Guy Easterby.
“Obviously both Leo (Cullen) and Kevin (McLaughlin) will each miss a significant part of the early half of the season so it is great that we have been able to cover them with a quality player.”
As with Leinser, Munster also welcome back a number of long-term absentees with Denis Leamy set to make his first appearance since sustaining a serious knee injury against Perpignan last December.
Darragh Hurley and Felix Jones also make their comebacks for Tony McGahan’s side in tomorrow night’s match against Leicester at Musgrave Park.
With the start of the new Magners League campaign just two weeks away, Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin will continue to asses his options when Ulster take on Harlequins at the Stoop on Saturday.
McLaughlin makes nine changes to the side comprehensively beaten by Bath last weekend with David McIlwaine, Craig Gilroy, Nevin Spence, Niall O’Connor and Ian Porter all coming into the backs division.
Prop Bryan Young, a late withdrawal from the Bath match, joins Andi Kyriacou, Ryan Caldwell and TJ Anderson in getting their first run-outs of the pre-season.
The Connacht team to face Saracens on Saturday, the province’s final pre-season friendly, will see Frank Murphy handed the captaincy in the absence of the injured Johnny O’Connor.
The Ireland women’s team for their opening game of the IRB World Cup against England tomorrow was also announced.
Coach Philip Doyle named Fiona Coghlan as captain, while fullback Niamh Briggs is one to watch and Ireland’s most capped player, Lynne Cantwell, returns to the fray for the first time in over a year.
"I have been really impressed with the skills, dedication and commitment the girls have shown over the last number of months. The attitude of the squad has been phenomenal. Now we just want to get onto the pitch and play,” said Doyle ahead of the game will be televised live on Sky Sports.
Ireland play former winners and three time finalists USA in their second game (24th) with the final pool game against Kazakhstan four days later.
Leinster(v Wasps): L Fitzgerald; D Kearney, E O'Malley, E Sheridan, I Nacewa; I Madigan, P O'Donohoe; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, M Ross; T Hogan, D Toner; E Sheriff, P Ryan, S O'Brien. Replacements:J Harris-Wright, J McGrath, S Wright, M Galarza, D Ryan, I Boss, I McKinley, F McFadden, B Marshall, M Keating, N Morris.
Munster(v Leicester): S Deasy; D Hurley, D Barnes, S Tuitupou, I Dowling; P Warwick, D Williams; W du Preez, D Fogarty, S Archer; B Holland, D Foley; D Ryan, T O'Donnell, D Leamy. Replacements:M Sherry, D Ryan, Darragh Hurley, I Nagle, J Coughlan, C Murray, C Hircock, F Jones, S Zebo, P Butler, P O'Mahony.
Ulster(v Harlequins): D McIlwaine; C Gilroy, D Cave, I Whitten, N Spence; N O'Connor, I Porter; B Young, A Kyriacou, D Fitzpatrick; J Muller, R Caldwell; P Wannenburg, TJ Anderson, R Diack. Replacements:N Brady, P Kyrayiannis, A Macklin, T Barker, N McComb, M Heaney, I Humphreys, L Marshall, J Shiels, M McCrea.
Connacht(v Saracens): T OHalloran; T Nathan, N Taauso, E Griffin, F Carr; M Nikora, F Murphy; R Loughney, A Flavin, J Hagan; M Swift, B Upton; A Browne, R Ofisa, E Taylor. Replacements(from): D Murphy, R Sweeney, B Wilkinson, D Nolan, D Buckley, M McComish, S Conneely, C Willis, I Keatley, S Monahan, D Fanning, A Kennedy, A Wynne.
Ireland Women's team(v England): N Briggs, A Davis, J O'Sullivan, L Cantwell, N Stapleton, H Brosnan,, T Rosser, F Coghlan, G Bourke,, L Austin, K O'Loughlin, ML Reilly, O Brennan, C Molloy, J Neville. Replacments:Y Nolan, L Guest, C Staunton, S Ryan, L Beamish, S Houston, M Kelly