Leinster welcome back five players from injury prior to the Autumn Test window for their URC derby against Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium on Friday night (KO: 7.35pm, live on BBC Two Northern Ireland, RTÉ Player and Premier Sports 1).
Jack Conan returns to captain the side while Jimmy O’Brien, Jordan Larmour and John McKee have all recovered from injury to take their respective places in the starting XV.
All told, Leo Cullen makes 11 changes from the team that beat Lions to maintain their unbeaten start to the season last month. Andrew Osborne is at fullback as Liam Turner is named in the centre alongside Charlie Tector, with Ross Byrne renewing his half-back partnership with Luke McGrath.
McKee will be joined by Jack Boyle and Rabah Slimani in the front row, while Diarmuid Mangan will make his first appearance of the season alongside Brian Deeny in the second row. Will Connors and Max Deegan complete the back row.
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Lee Barron is also fit again and named among the replacements, with Michael Milne and Rory McGuire providing the rest of the front row cover.
RG Snyman, who played in all three of South Africa’s victorious autumn internationals this month, has also been named among the replacements, with James Culhane and Scott Penny completing a 6-2 split, Fintan Gunne and Harry Byrne comprising the two backs.
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Alan O’Connor captains the side alongside Kieran Treadwell in the second row. Eric O’Sullivan starts at loosehead prop, where he is joined by hooker, James McCormick, and tighthead prop, Scott Wilson, who makes his first start of the season.
The back row sees James McNabney start at blindside flanker with Nick Timoney starting on the openside, after his return from Ireland international duty. David McCann completes the forward pack, starting at number eight.
The half-back partnership sees Nathan Doak at scrumhalf and Aidan Morgan starting at number 10. On the wings, Michael Lowry gets the nod in the 11 shirt on the left, with Werner Kok starting on the right wing.
The young duo of Jude Postlethwaite and Ben Carson start in the midfield, while Stewart Moore makes his return from recent injury at full-back.
Richie Murphy has opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Tom Stewart making a welcome return to the match day squad for the first time this season after an ankle injury, to be joined by Andrew Warwick, Corrie Barrett, Harry Sheridan and Marcus Rea as the forward options. John Cooney, James Humphreys and Ben Moxham provide the back replacement options.
Ulster: Stewart Moore, Werner Kok, Ben Carson, Jude Postlethwaite, Michael Lowry, Aidan Morgan, Nathan Doak; Eric O’Sullivan, James McCormick, Scott Wilson, Alan O’Connor (C), Kieran Treadwell, James McNabney, Nick Timoney, David McCann. Replacements: Tom Stewart, Andrew Warwick, Corrie Barrett, Harry Sheridan, Marcus Rea, John Cooney, James Humphreys, Ben Moxham.
Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien; Jordan Larmour, Liam Turner, Charlie Tector, Andrew Osborne, Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, John McKee, Rabah Slimani, Diarmuid Mangan, Brian Deeny, Max Deegan, Will Connors, Jack Conan (Capt). Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Rory McGuire, RG Snyman, James Culhane, Fintan Gunne, Harry Byrne, Scott Penny.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
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