Leinster name squad for Ulster clash
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 14:49Leinster have a near full deck to call on for their clash with Ulster in the Magners League on St Stephen's Day with prop CJ van der Linde the main injury casualty from last weekend.
Van der Linde limped off during the first half of Leinster's impressive 39-7 victory performance against the Scarlets at the RDS and is not in contention to play against Ulster.
However, Nathan Hines, who went off early in the second half, is named in the 27-man squad for the 5.30pm kick-off.
Luke Fitzgerald and Shane Jennings remain long-term absentees while South African import Richardt Strauss is also left out. The date of Jennings return is getting ever closer and the wing-forward will be back in contention when his suspension ends on 6 January.
The squad also includes Gordon D'Arcy, Shane Horgan, Rob Kearney and Brian O'Driscoll - all try-scorers in the Scarlets romp - while there are nine recent Leinster Academy graduates in the extended panel. The team will be announced on Thursday - Christmas Eve - at lunchtime.
The game is Leinster's last of the calendar year and over 17,000 tickets have now been sold for Saturday's interprovincial derby against Ulster. Tickets remain on sale on www.leinsterrugby.ie and from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and are also available from the Leinster Rugby Store and Spar (Donnybrook).
Meanwhile tickets are also currently on sale on www.leinsterrugby.ie for the upcoming fixtures against Glasgow (Magners League) on Friday, 8 January and the Heineken Cup fifth round fixture against Brive in the RDS later that month.
Leinster squad to face Ulster at the RDS, 26 December, 5.30pm:
Forwards: Leo Cullen, John Fogarty, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Nathan Hines, Bernard Jackman, Stephen Keogh, Ronan McCormack, Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O'Brien, Malcolm O'Kelly, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Stan Wright
Backs: Shaun Berne, Gordon D'Arcy, Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Chris Keane, David Kearney, Rob Kearney, Simon Keogh, Fergus McFadden, Isa Nacewa, Paul O'Donohoe, Brian O'Driscoll, Eoin Reddan
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU)
