Sexton and Jennings to start for Leinster

As expected, Leinster have named Jonathan Sexton at out-half for Saturday’s match against Brive (6pm), while Shane Jennings also returns to the starting XV.

Sexton has been out of action since breaking two fingers in his hand in November but will slot in for stand-in out-half Shaun Berne. Jennings has been missing since being handed a harsh 12-week ban for making contact with the eye area of Nick Kennedy during a scuffle in Leinster’s Round One clash with London Irish. He returns at openside wing-forward in place of Sean O’Brien, who drops to the bench.

In the back-three, Shane Horgan will start with Isa Nacewa and Rob Kearney. The match will see Horgan become the first Leinster player to reach the landmark of 75 appearances in the competition.

Of seven starting backline players, six are Irish internationals with Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy and Eoin Reddan also set to start and Nacewa the odd man out.

Up front Cian Healy is named in the front row alongside Stan Wright and John Fogarty. South African international CJ van der Linde, recently troubled by a leg injury, is named on a strong looking bench that also includes Bernard Jackman, Malcolm O’Kelly, Paul O’Donoghue, Shaun Berne and Mike Ross.

Healy and Sexton will both make their 50th appearances for the province.

Leo Cullen will captain the side from the second row where he is named alongside Nathan Hines while Jennings will is joined by blindside Kevin McLaughlin and number eight Jamie Heaslip in the back-row.

Leinster team to face Brive at the RDS (8pm) on Saturday, February 16:

(15-9) Rob Kearney, Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Isa Nacewa, Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan, (1-8) Cian Healy, John Fogarty, Stan Wright, Leo Cullen (c), Nathan Hines, Kevin McLaughlin, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip

Replacements: Bernard Jackman, Mike Ross, CJ van der Linde, Malcolm O'Kelly, Sean O'Brien, Paul O'Donoghue, Shaun Berne, Girvan Dempsey

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Following a number of returns from Brive almost 17,000 tickets have now been sold for Saturday's game and tickets are still available on www.leinsterrugby.ie, from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and can be purchased from the Leinster Rugby Store and Spar shop in Donnybrook. Ticketmaster will also be selling tickets at the RDS from 3pm on Saturday.