Champions Cup: Gloucester vs Leinster, Kingsholm, Saturday, 1pm – Live on BT Sport and via The Irish Times’ liveblog
Leo Cullen has made eight personnel changes to the starting XV that narrowly saw off the Ospreys ahead of Leinster’s Champions Cup trip to Gloucester on Saturday afternoon.
In the absence of Johnny Sexton, whose cheek injury continues to rule him out, Garry Ringrose returns at outside centre to captain the side. Jamie Osborne, who impressed at 13 last weekend, slots inside one spot to 12 as a hamstring injury rules out Charlie Ngatai.
Ross Byrne replaces his brother at outhalf, Harry drops to the bench, while Jamison Gibson-Park stars at nine.
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The back three is unchanged as Hugo Keenan – making his 50th Leinster appearance – Jordan Larmour and Jimmy O’Brien remain in situ; James Lowe is not in the matchday 23.
In the forwards, Dan Sheehan starts at hooker despite an extended run last week, continuing his recent heavy workload when it comes to game time. Andrew Porter and Michael Ala’alatoa are alongside him in the frontrow while James Ryan returns to partner Ross Molony at lock.
Jack Conan’s performance last weekend was not enough for him to dislodge Ryan Baird and shift Caelan Doris to six, the latter pair start alongside Josh van der Flier in what has become Leinster’s first-choice European backrow.
Cian Healy is set for his 100th European appearance off the bench – he once again provides tighthead cover ahead of Vakh Abdaladze. Rónan Kelleher and Michael Milne are the other frontrow replacements, while Brian Deeny notably is in the 23 ahead of Joe McCarthy. He, Milne and Liam Turner are all in line for European debuts off the bench.
Harry Byrne and Nick McCarthy are the replacement halfbacks.
GLOUCESTER: George Barton; Jonny May, Chris Harris, Seb Atkinson, Ollie Thorley; Santi Carreras, Ben Meehan; Val Rapava-Ruskin, George McGuigan, Kirill Gotovtsev; Freddie Clarke, Matias Alemanno; Ruan Ackermann, Lewis Ludlow (capt), Ben Morgan.
Replacements: Seb Blake, Harry Elrington, Ciaran Knight, Cam Jordan, Jack Clement, Stephen Varney, Billy Twelvetrees, Tom Seabrook.
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Jamie Osborne, Jordan Larmour; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Michael Ala’alatoa; Ross Molony, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Michael Milne, Cian Healy, Brian Deeny, Jack Conan, Nick McCarthy, Harry Byrne, Liam Turner.
