Leinster coach Michael Cheika has given three debutants the chance to impress against the Dragons at Rodney Parade on Sunday (5pm) in a youthful looking line-up, bar a familiar front five. The side will be captained by hooker Bernard Jackman, joined in the frontrow by Ronan McCormack and CJ van der Linde.
Lock Malcolm O’Kelly partners Devin Toner in the secondrow, but academy backrowers Rhys Ruddock and the Dominic Ryan (both 19) will make their first starts, supported by Stephen Keogh at number eight.
The third new face to the senior set-up is centre Eoin O’Malley (21), who returns from injury after six months out. He is paired with inside centre Fergus McFadden, while Chris Keane partners outhalf Ian McKinley (20 today) and wings David Kearney (20) and Simon Keogh join Niall Morris (20) in the back three.
Aussie Shaun Berne was expected to feature at outhalf but is being rested ahead of the resumption of Heineken Cup action next week, meaning Ireland under-20 outhalf ian Madigan offers cover for McKinley from the bench.
Despite his inexperience, Kearney, younger brother of Ireland fullback Rob, is looking forward to a third outing against the Dragons.
"Although I have played only three times for the senior team, two of those games have been against the Dragons so I'm quite familiar with them,” he said today.
“They fought hard in the RDS back in September and will probably feel as though they could have gotten something out of the game.
"There's a carrot for the players to play well this weekend with two big Heineken Cup games coming up versus the Scarlets as well as a key Magners League game against Ulster later on in the month.
"I have been pleased enough with my own form in the British & Irish Cup. In both wins the wingers were fairly starved of the ball out wide, but hopefully Sunday will provide more chances to get my hands on the ball.
"Everyone's fresh, focused and determined to keep our place at the top of the league."
In the absence of the injured Tom Willis, Welsh international Luke Charteris returns to action to captain the Dragons, while Lydiate is named in the backrow.
"It has been really fantastic to see the performances the team has put in whilst I've been away and there is a buzz around the camp which I've enjoyed getting back into," said the secondrow today.
"Although Leinster may have rested some of their Irish internationals for this weekend, the Irish provinces have shown that they can afford to lose these players and still put out a very strong team which is why the Irish sides always figure at the top of the league at the end of the season and are always pushing in the Heineken Cup."
DRAGONS:Jason Tovey; Aled Brew, Rhodri Gomer Davies, Tom Riley, Richard Fussell; James Arlidge, Wayne Evans; Hugh Gustafson, Steve Jones, Pat Palmer; Rob Sidoli, Luke Charteris (C); Dan Lydiate, Gavin Thomas, Grant Webb. Replacements: Duane Goodfield, Peter Bracken, Hoani MacDonald, Adam Jones, Martyn Thomas, Will Harries, Alex Walker
LEINSTER: Niall Morris; David Kearney, Eoin O'Malley, Fergus McFadden, Simon Keogh; Ian McKinley, Chris Keane; Ronan McCormack, Bernard Jackman (capt), CJ van der Linde; Devin Toner, Malcolm O'Kelly; Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Stephen Keogh. Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Trevor Hogan, Paul Ryan, Paul O'Donohoe, Ian Madigan, Michael Keating.
