Leinster pick big guns for Cardiff clash
Thursday, 9 September 2010 15:11Ireland internationals Brian O'Driscoll, Jonathan Sexton, Mike Ross and Shane Jennings have been named in the Leinster starting side to take on Cardiff Blues at the RDS on Saturday.
Two more internationals, Cian Healy and Eoin Reddan, are named on the bench. Jennings will captain the side.
Leinster got their Magners League campaign underway with a disappointing defeat against Glasgow Warriors last weekend, new head coach Joe Schmidt's first competitive outing.
The Blues had taken the lead by half-time break but a weak finish saw them eclipsed by a late penalty and drop goal by Warriors substitute out-half Duncan Weir.
Isaac Boss will continue at scrum-half, partnering Sexton while Fergus McFadden will play alongside O'Driscoll at centre. Eoin O'Malley drops to the bench.
Isa Nacewa, who played out-half last week, moves to the wing. Luke Fitzgerald and Shane Horgan retain their places at full-back and wing respectively.
Ross has recovered from injury to take his place in the front-row alongside South African pair Richardt Strauss and Heinke van der Merwe. Nathan Hines and Ed O'Donoghue continue in the second row and Jennings joins fellow Ireland internationals Jamie Heaslip and Sean O'Brien in the back-row.
LEINSTER team to play Cardiff Blues at the RDS on Saturday, 11 September:
15: Luke Fitzgerald
14: Shane Horgan
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Fergus McFadden
11: Isa Nacewa
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Isaac Boss
1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Nathan Hines
5: Ed O'Donoghue
6: Sean O'Brien
7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN
8: Jamie Heaslip
REPLACEMENTS:
16: John Fogarty
17: Cian Healy
18: Simon Shawe
19: Mariano Galarza
20: Dominic Ryan
21: Eoin Reddan
22: Ian Madigan
23: Eoin O'Malley
