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No Robbie Henshaw but Josh van der Flier and Ryan Baird fit for Leinster

Robbie Henshaw misses out due to injury
Robbie Henshaw misses out due to injury

Josh van der Flier and Ryan Baird have both been passed fit for Leinster's Heineken Champions Cup semi-final with Toulouse on Saturday (live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player) but Robbie Henshaw has been ruled out due to injury.

The centre misses out after picking up an unspecified knock, with Charlie Ngatai coming into the starting side having overcome a hamstring issue which has sidelined him since January.

Van der Flier and Baird had both been doubts after picking up injuries in previous rounds. Baird suffered a shoulder injury in the quarter-final win against Leicester, but is included on the bench for Leo Cullen's side this week, while Van der Flier comes back into the starting team after recovering from an ankle issue.

Caelan Doris and Jack Conan partner the World Player of the Year in the back row, the only change from the pack that started the win against the Tigers three weeks ago.

Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong come into the front row as expected, and Ross Molony is preferred to Jason Jenkins in the second row alongside James Ryan, with Jenkins named among the replacements.

In the backline, Jimmy O'Brien shifts from the right wing to the left wing in the absence of the injured James Lowe, with Jordan Larmour starting in the 14 jersey, and Hugo Keenan named as usual at full-back.

Ngatai partners Garry Ringrose in the centre, with Ross Byrne and Jamison Gibson-Park in the half-backs as expected.

Meanwhile, Toulouse boss Ugo Mola has named an unchanged starting XV from the side that beat the Cell C Sharks in the quarter-final.

Scrum-half Antoine Dupont captains the side.

There are some changes on the bench with hooker Julian Marchand returning in place of Guillaume Cramont, while back row Rynhardt Elstadt is in for Josh Brennan. Paul Graou replaces Dimitri Delibes.


Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Charlie Ngatai, Jimmy O'Brien; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Ross Molony, James Ryan; Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.

Replacements: John McKee, Cian Healy, Michael Ala'alatoa, Jason Jenkins, Ryan Baird, Luke McGrath, Harry Byrne, Ciarán Frawley.

Toulouse: Thomas Ramos; Juan Cruz Mallia, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Pita Ahki, Matthis Lebel; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (capt); Cyril Baille, Péato Mauvaka, Dorian Aldegheri; Richie Arnold, Emmanuel Meafou; Jack Willis, Thibaud Flament, Francois Cros.

Replacements: Julian Marchand, Rodrigue Neti, David Ainu'u, Alexandre Roumat, Rynhardt Elstadt, Alban Placines, Paul Graou, Arthur Retiere.

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Watch Leinster v Toulouse in the Heineken Champions Cup semi-final live on Saturday from 2.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on the RTÉ News app or RTÉ.ie/Sport and listen to live commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.

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