Wounded return for provincial pair

Magners League semi-final: Ireland outhalf Jonathan Sexton returns to the Leinster starting XV for the Magners League semi-final…

Magners League semi-final:Ireland outhalf Jonathan Sexton returns to the Leinster starting XV for the Magners League semi-final against Munster on Saturday (8pm), while the visitors have Doug Howlett and Keith Earls back in harness.

The latter pair were, along with Jerry Flannery, injury concerns for Tony McGahan, but are included in a powerful backline that sees Paul Warwick at full-back and Lifeimi Mafi on the left wing. Denis Hurley and Scott Deasy must settle for the bench.

Flannery too is among the replacements, leaving Damien Varley to start at hooker in between Marcus Horan and John Hayes, who was rested for the game against Cardiff Blues.

With Paul O’Connell long since ruled out Donncha O’Callaghan partners Mick O’Driscoll in the second-row, while Alan Quinlan, Niall Ronan and Nick Williams form the backrow.

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Bakrow cover will be provided by David Wallace and James Coughlan, while tighthead Dave Ryan offers a frontrow option from the bench.

The homeside have a more settled look about them, with Sexton's return from a nasty jaw injury an expected but welcome fillip. Ditto Gordon D'Arcy's inclusion after a head injury.

Shane Horgan gets the nod to start on the right wing, with Rob Kearney and Isa Nacewa completing the back three.

In what could be his final game for Leinster, lock Malcolm O’Kelly partners Nathan Hines in the absence of Leo Cullen, whose captaincy duties are assumed by Shane Jennings.

The flanker is joined in the backrow by Kevin McLaughlin and number eight Jamie Heaslip.

Michael Cheika has yet to finalise his bench and will do so closer to kick-off.

Leinster: R Kearney; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, I Nacewa; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, J Fogarty, S Wright; N Hines, M O'Kelly; K McLaughlin, S Jennings (capt), J Heaslip

Replacements from: R Strauss, M Ross, CJ van der Linde, T Hogan, R Ruddock, S Keogh, P O'Donohoe, S Berne, F McFadden, G Dempsey

Munster: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, J de Villiers, L Mafi; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, D Varley, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll; A Quinlan, N Ronan, N Williams

Replacements: J Flannery, D Ryan, J Coughlan, D Wallace, P Stringer, D Hurley, S Deasy