Leinster will be without Brian O'Driscoll for Friday night's RaboDirect PRO12 encounter in the Aviva Stadium with Munster (8pm).
O'Driscoll had hoped to be involved in the game but has been given another week to recover from the 'stinger' injury he suffered during the World Cup.
Leo Cullen leads a Leinster team which includes 13 Ireland internationals for the visit of Munster including Wexford centre Gordon D'Arcy who is one of five players in total – including the back-row trio of Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings and Sean O’Brien as well as prop Cian Healy – to make their seasonal debuts for the province after their involvement in the Rugby World Cup.
Isaac Boss again partners Jonathan Sexton at half back, with D’Arcy linking up with Fergus McFadden at centre, with Isa Nacewa returning to the wing after being rested last week.
Up front, Healy joins Richardt Strauss and Mike Ross in the front row with skipper Cullen starting at second row alongside Devin Toner. Brian O’Driscoll, after further testing, has been given an extra week to recover from the ‘stinger’ he suffered during the World Cup.
The likes of Sean Cronin, Kevin McLaughlin, Eoin Reddan and Rhys Ruddock are included on the Leinster replacements bench.
Leinster team to play Munster in the Rabodirect PRO12 at the Aviva Stadium:
Rob Kearney, Isa Nacewa, Fergus McFadden, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald, Jonathan Sexton, Isaac Boss, Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Leo Cullen, Devin Toner, Sean O'Brien, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Heinke van der Merwe, Jamie Hagan, Kevin McLaughlin, Rhys Ruddock, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Eoin O’Malley
