Pro12 Team News:Leinster will field a team made up exclusively from home-grown talent when the Pro12 leaders take on Cardiff in the Welsh capital tomorrow evening (6.15pm). Jamie Heaslip will lead a side containing 12 full Irish internationals in the absence of regular captain Leo Cullen.
Having sat out the festive wins over Ulster and Connacht due to the IRFU’s player management scheme, the likes of Heaslip, Mike Ross, Seán O’Brien, Cian Healy, Rob Kearney, Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton are all back available for selection while Kevin McLaughlin also comes into the equation.
Richardt Strauss, who broke his nose at the Sportsground last weekend, is afforded the weekend off with Aaron Dundon providing cover for hooker Seán Cronin while there is still no sign of the injury troubled South African Stephen Sykes.
Heaslip will come up against Wales skipper Sam Warburton at the City Stadium after the openside recovered from an ankle problem to take his place in the Cardiff backrow. Gethin Jenkins comes into the Blues frontrow while Dan Parks replaces Ceri Sweeney at number 10. Gavin Henson will again start at fullback for the Blues.
Munstercoach Tony McGahan has opted to retain only six players – Johne Murphy Denis Hurley, Lifeimi Mafi, Wian du Preez, Damien Varley and James Coughlan – from the side that lost Ulster ahead of the visit of Benetton Treviso to Thomond Park on Saturday (8.15pm).
Murphy will start on the right win against the Italians to accommodate the inclusion of Simon Zebo on the left.
The nine personnel changes include the return of Peter O’Mahony in place of Dave O’Callaghan after recovering from a jaw injury.
The availability of the international contingent also means the return of halfbacks Ronan O’Gara and Conor Murray, while Keith Earls will join Mafi in the centre and Paul O’Connell is named in the secondrow with Donnacha Ryan in the week he signed a contract extension with the IRFU and was granted the Ireland captaincy for the Six Nations.
Connacht's line-up to face Aironi at the Stadio Zaffenella on Saturday 4.35pm see five changes, three in the backline and two in the pack.
Lock Michael Swift, the province most capped player with 207 appearances over 11 years, is returned to the forward eight after recovering from a knee injury, while prop Dylan Rogers replaces Ronan Loughney at tighthead.
The backline includes scrumhalf Frank Murphy, promising centre Dave McSharry and winger Fetu'u Vainikolo, who comes in on the right wing for the injured Brian Tuohy, who had surgery on a broken leg this week.
Cardiff (v Leinster):Gavin Henson; Leigh Halfpenny, Casey Laulala, Gavin Evans, Tom James; Dan Parks, Lloyd Williams; Gethin Jenkins, Marc Breeze, Scott Andrews; Bradley Davies, Michael Paterson; Maama Molitika, Sam Warburton (capt), Xavier Rush. Replacements:Rhys Williams, John Yapp, Sam Hobbs, Macauley Cook, Josh Navidi, Richie Rees, Ceri Sweeney, Richard Mustoe
Leinster (v Cardiff):Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Gordon D'Arcy, Andrew Conway; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross; Damian Browne, Devin Toner; Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip (capt). Replacements:Aaron Dundon, Heinke van der Merwe, Jamie Hagan, Rhys Ruddock, Leo Auva'a, Isaac Boss, Isa Nacewa, Fionn Carr.
Munster (Treviso): Denis Hurley; Johne Murphy, Keith Earls, Lifiemi Mafi, Simon Zebo; Ronan O'Gara, Conor Murray; Wian du Preez, Damien Varley, BJ Botha; Donnacha Ryan, Paul O'Connell (capt); Peter O'Mahony, Niall Ronan, James Coughlan. Replacements: Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan, Stephen Archer, Donncha O'Callaghan, Billy Holland, Tomás O'Leary, Ian Keatley, Danny Barnes.
Treviso (Munster):Luke McLean; Ludovico Nitoglia, Tommaso Benvenuti, Alberto Sgarbi, Brendan Williams; Kristopher Burton, Tobias Botes; Michele Rizzo, Franco Sbaraglini, Lorenzo Cittadini; Antonio Pavanello (capt), Corniel Van Zyl; Gonzalo Padrò, Alessandro Zanni, Manoa Vosawai. Replacements: Diego Vidal, Matteo Muccignat, Ignacio Fernandez Rouyet, Valerio Bernabò, Enrico Pavanello, Simon Picone, Edoardo Gori, Alberto Di Bernardo
Aironi (v Connacht):Andrea Masi; Giulio Toniolatti, Roberto Quartaroli, Gabriel Pizarro, Sinoti Sinoti; Luciano Orquera, Tyson Keats; Alberto De Marchi, Roberto Santamaria, Fabio Staibano; Marco Bortolami (capt), Joshua Furno; Nicola Cattina, Simone Favaro, Josh Sole. Replacements: Tommaso D'Apice, Salvatore Perugini, Lorenzo Romano, Quintin Geldenhuys, Mauro Bergamasco, Tito Tebaldi, Naas Olivier, Alberto Benettin.
Connacht (v Aironi): Gavin Duffy (capt); Fetu'u Vainikolo, Kyle Tonetti, Dave McSharry, Tiernan O'Halloran; Mattew Jarvis, Frank Murphy; Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin, Dylan Rogers; Michael Swift, Mike McCarthy; Mick Kearney, John Muldoon, George Naoupu. Replacements: Ethienne Reynecke, Denis Buckley, Stewart Maguire, Eoin McKeon, Ray Ofisa, Paul O'Donohoe, Niall O'Connor, Henry Fa'afili.
