Leinster Team Named For PRO14 Final Clash With Provincial Rivals Munster
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Final.
Leinster Rugby head coach Leo Cullen has named his team to take on provincial rivals Munster in the Guinness PRO14 final this weekend.
Luke McGrath will captain the side for the first time in a major final, while Devin Toner will become the most capped Leinster Rugby player of all time when he takes to the field in Leinster blue for the 262nd time.
As Slottomat predicted, Hugo Keenan starts at full-back having played in every minute of Ireland’s recent Guinness Six Nations campaign, with Jordan Larmour on the right wing and Dave Kearney on the left. Kearney has scored 10 tries in all competitions for Leinster this season.
In the centre, Robbie Henshaw will wear the number 12 jersey with Rory O’Loughlin starting in a final for the first time outside him.
In the half-backs, 28-year-old McGrath will captain Leinster Rugby for the first time in a major final. The scrum-half, who has 19 Ireland caps to his name, made his Leinster debut against the Dragons in May 2012 and has played a total of 144 times for his native province.
He will be joined by fellow St Michael’s College alumni Ross Byrne.
In the pack, there is a return for a trio of players involved with Ireland last weekend against England as Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher and Andrew Porter start in the front row.
Scott Fardy, who wins his 75th cap, will be partnered in the second row by record-breaker Toner.
Finally, the back row sees Rhys Ruddock at blindside flanker, with Josh van der Flier at openside and Jack Conan named at number eight.
Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Hugo Keenan (24)
14. Jordan Larmour (54)
13. Rory O’Loughlin (79)
12. Robbie Henshaw (53)
11. Dave Kearney (164)
10. Ross Byrne (97)
9. Luke McGrath (144) CAPTAIN
1. Cian Healy (226)
2. Rónan Kelleher (19)
3. Andrew Porter (71)
4. Devin Toner (261)
5. Scott Fardy (74)
6. Rhys Ruddock (185)
7. Josh van der Flier (91)
8. Jack Conan (100)
16. James Tracy (124)
17. Ed Byrne (64)
18. Tadhg Furlong (109)
19. Ross Molony (111)
20. Ryan Baird (19)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (99)
22. Johnny Sexton (171)
23. James Lowe (49)
