Leinster have made three changes from the win over Cardiff at the beginning of the month for Saturday’s game away to the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld (3pm Irish time) as Jordie Barrett, RG Snyman and James Culhane come into the team for the first game of the South Africa tour.
Luke McGrath captains the side once more and Ross Byrne starts at outhalf while Academy centre Hugh Cooney joins Barrett in the midfield.
Jimmy O’Brien starts at fullback with Tommy O’Brien and Andrew Osborne on the wings.
Jack Boyle and Rabah Slimani will scrum down either side of John McKee in an unchanged frontrow, while Snyman has been called in to partner Academy forward Diarmuid Mangan in the secondrow.
Culhane comes in at number eight while Max Deegan switches to the flank and Will Connors retains the number seven shirt.
Thomas Clarkson has been named among the replacements with Academy hooker Stephen Smyth and Clontarf prop Ivan Soroka retaining the spots on the bench.
Alex Soroka, the younger brother of Ivan, offers reinforcements alongside Brian Deeny and Scott Penny in a 6-2 bench split.
Academy scrumhalf Fintan Gunne and Ciarán Frawley provide the cover for the backs.
LEINSTER: Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien, Hugh Cooney, Jordie Barrett, Andrew Osborne; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath (capt); Jack Boyle, John McKee, Rabah Slimani; RG Snyman, Diarmuid Mangan; Max Deegan, Will Connors, James Culhane.
Replacements: Stephen Smyth, Ivan Soroka, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Alex Soroka, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Ciarán Frawley.
Connacht also make three changes from the side that beat Benetton three weeks ago for Saturday’s trip to Swansea to face the Ospreys (5.15pm), with Denis Buckley, captain Joe Joyce, and Josh Murphy coming into the forward pack.
Buckley is joined by Dave Heffernan and Jack Aungier in the frontrow, while Darragh Murray completes the tight five. The backrow again sees Shamus Hurley-Langton start at openside flanker with Paul Boyle at number eight.
The entire backline is unchanged, meaning Caolin Blade and Josh Ioane combine at nine and 10, Cathal Forde and Hugh Gavin start together at centre, and Shayne Bolton and Finn Treacy play on the wings with Piers O’Conor at fullback.
The coaching team have opted for a 6-2 split on the bench, with Sean Jansen wearing the number 23 jersey.
CONNACHT: Piers O’Conor; Finn Treacy, Hugh Gavin, Cathal Forde, Shayne Bolton; Josh Ioane, Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Jack Aungier; Darragh Murray, Joe Joyce (capt); Josh Murphy, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Temi Lasisi, Sam Illo, Oisín Dowling, David O’Connor, Matthew Devine, JJ Hanrahan, Sean Jansen.
Ulster head coach Richie Murphy makes two changes in the forwards to take on Dragons at Rodney Parade on Saturday (5.15) with Ireland international Tom O’Toole starting at tighthead prop and David McCann coming in at blindside flanker.
Loosehead prop Callum Reid and hooker Rob Herring join O’Toole in the frontrow.
Alan O’Connor continues to captain the side after his dramatic late try against Scarlets earned Ulster a vital victory and Matthew Dalton starts alongside him in the secondrow.
Joining McCann in the backrow, Nick Timoney starts at openside flanker, with James McNabney retaining the number eight jersey.
In a youthful halfback pairing, Nathan Doak starts at scrumhalf alongside Academy outhalf Jack Murphy.
Murphy opts for an unchanged Ulster backfield, with Jacob Stockdale and Michael Lowry remaining on the left and right wings respectively.
Stuart McCloskey is in line for his 199th Ulster appearance, starting at inside centre alongside James Hume. Stewart Moore starts at fullback.
Murphy welcomes back John Cooney on to the bench, after it was confirmed that the long-serving scrumhalf will depart the province for Brive at the end of this season.
Cooney joins Kiwi Aidan Morgan and Sevens star, Zac Ward as the backline replacement options.
John Andrew, Sam Crean, Scott Wilson, Kieran Treadwell and Reuben Crothers are the forward reinforcements.
ULSTER: Stewart Moore; Michael Lowry, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Callum Reid, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole; Alan O’Connor (capt), Matthew Dalton; David McCann, Nick Timoney, James McNabney.
Replacements: John Andrew, Sam Crean, Scott Wilson, Kieran Treadwell, Reuben Crothers, John Cooney, Aidan Morgan, Zac Ward.
