Rob Kearney is back in the Leinster squad for Friday’s meeting with Llanelli, the province’s final Magners League game of the season at the RDS. Kearney, who missed the Heineken Cup semi-final as he recovered from the mumps, is included in an extended squad for the match.
Of the starting XV who took to the field against Munster last weekend, only Felipe Contepomi and Rocky Elsom have been excused from duty at this stage.
Contepomi has already played his last game for the province after suffering knee ligament damage at Croke Park while Elsom has been afforded a well-earned break.
Having already conceded the Magners League title, Elsom could well be joined on the sidelines by more frontliners when the team is named tomorrow but, as it stands, the likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Leo Cullen and Stan Wright could all still feature.
Connacht coach Michael Bradley has drafted Mel Deane and John Muldoon into his panel for their clash with Ulster.
As with Leinster, the match will be Connacht’s final game of the campaign in front of their home fans and Bradley is targeting a clean sweep of the Irish provinces at the Sportsground.
“We’re looking forward to the match on the basis that we’ve a unique opportunity to have home victories over the three other Irish provinces in the one season, a feat that Connacht rugby have not achieved in the professional era so far,” Bradley explained.
Leinster Squad: Cian Healy, Ronan McCormack, John Fogarty, Bernard Jackman, Stan Wright, Leo Cullen, Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Devin Toner, Stephen Keogh, Shane Jennings, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip; Simon Keogh, Chris Whitaker, Jonathan Sexton, Luke Fitzgerald, Gordon D'Arcy, Fergus McFadden, Brian O'Driscoll, Shane Horgan, Isa Nacewa, Girvan Dempsey, Rob Kearney
Connacht squad: Liam Bibo, Andrew Browne, Fionn Carr, Sean Cronin, Mel Deane, Gavin Duffy, Andy Dunne, Andrew Farley, Adrian Flavin, David Gannon, Ian Keatley, Ronan Loughney, Keith Matthews, Brian McGovern, John Muldoon, Frank Murphy, Troy Nathan, Ray Ofisa, Conor O'Loughlin, Colm Rigney, Michael Swift, Brett Wilkinson.
