Seán O’Brien will captain Leinster in Friday night’s rescheduled Pro 14 clash with the Scarlets in west Wales (7.35pm ko, Sky Sports).
The fixture was originally meant to take place last Saturday, but was postponed with the weather rendering Leinster unable to travel.
O’Brien has been out of action with a hip injury since last December, however his selection at the Parc y Scarlets will put him in line for a return to the Ireland fold for the final Six Nations fixture against England on March 17th.
He is joined in a powerful backrow by number eight Jack Conan, and Josh Murphy.
Nick McCarthy and Ross Byrne start in the halfbacks, with James Lowe selected in the back three along with Dave Kearney and Barry Daly. Noel Read and Rory O’Loughlin start in midfield.
Victory for Leinster would see them extend their three-point lead over the Scarlets at the top of Conference B - while a defeat would see Wayne Pivac’s side leapfrog them into first.
Leinster: Dave Kearney, Barry Daly, Rory O'Loughlin, Noel Reid, James Lowe, Ross Byrne, Nick McCarthy; Ed Byrne, Bryan Byrne, Michael Bent, Ross Molony, Scott Fardy, Josh Murphy, Seán O'Brien (c), Jack Conan. Replacements: James Tracy, Peter Dooley, Adam Coyle, Mick Kearney, Max Deegan, Charlie Rock, Ciarán Frawley, Adam Byrne.
Scarlets: 15 Tom Williams, 14 Ioan Nicholas, 13 Paul Asquith, 12 Steff Hughes (c), 11 Ryan Conbeer, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Jonathan Evans, 1 Phil Price, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Werner Kruger, 4 Steve Cummins, 5 David Bulbring, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Josh Macleod, 8 Will Boyde. Replacements: Emyr Phillips, Rhys Fawcett, Simon Gardiner, Josh Helps, Lewis Rawlins, Declan Smith, Ioan Hughes, Tom Varndell
