Jordie Barrett will start his first match for Leinster in tomorrow’s game against Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium (5.30) having made his debut for the province as a second-half replacement and try scorer in the victory over the Bristol Beats.
The New Zealander has been named at fullback, one of five changes to the starting team. Liam Turner replaces Jordan Larmour on the rightwing in the other change to the backline. Up front Thomas Clarkson is promoted to the starting team swapping places with Rabah Slimani who is on the bench.
Andrew Porter replaces Jack Boyle while the other alteration sees the return of Leinster and Ireland captain and number eight Caelan Doris to the run-on side with Jack Conan amongst the replacements, who include new faces from last week’s matchday 23, Cian Healy, Fintan Gunne and Andrew Osborne, younger brother of Jamie.
Meanwhile Zac Ward, who joined the Ulster squad this season after starring for Ireland Sevens at the Summer Olympics, makes his senior debut on the wing, and joins Cormac Izuchukwu, Aidan Morgan, Jude Postlethwaite and Werner Kok in making a first Champions Cup appearance at Kingspan Stadium.
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Ulster head coach Richie Murphy has opted for a fully changed pack from the side that started away to Toulouse with seven Ireland internationals promoted. Hooker Rob Herring makes his first Ulster start of the campaign and he is joined in the front row by loosehead prop, Eric O’Sullivan, and tighthead, Tom O’Toole.
In the second row, Iain Henderson, captains the side on the occasion of his 50th European appearance for Ulster, and is partnered by Kieran Treadwell. Izuchukwu starts at blindside flanker, with Nick Timoney named on the openside. The midfield sees one change from last week, with outside centre Jude Postlethwaite coming in to join Stuart McCloskey.
In the back three, Ward starts on the left wing, with Kok taking the right wing berth, and Michael Lowry switching to fullback. Academy utility back, Rory Telfer, is also in line for his senior debut off the bench, while it would also be a maiden Champions Cup appearance for outhalf James Humphreys, if called upon.
Cian Prendergast returns to lead Connacht for their European Challenge Cup game against Perpignan on Sunday at the Stade Aimee Giral (1.0, Irish time) or the first time since Ireland’s November internationals and joins Shamus Hurley-Langton and Seán O’Brien in the backrow.
There’s an all-new front row of Denis Buckley, Eoin de Buitléar and Sam Illo, while Joe Joyce returns from injury to partner Darragh Murray. In the backs there is a start for scrumhalf Matthew Devine alongside Jack Carty, while Cathal Forde continues at 12 and Byron Ralston comes in at outside centre.
There’s a shift in the back three with Santiago Cordero moving to fullback, Andrew Smith makes his first appearance of the season on the left wing, and fellow Sevens Olympian Chay Mullins is on the opposite wing.
The bench includes a 6-2 split with Conor Oliver wearing 23, while summer recruit hooker Adam McBurney will make his Connacht debut if called upon.
Leinster: J Barrett; L Turner, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J O’Brien; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, T Clarkson; J McCarthy, J Ryan; M Deegan, J van der Flier, C Doris. Replacements: G McCarthy, C Healy, R Slimani, RG Snyman, J Conan, F Gunne, R Byrne, A Osborne.
Ulster: M Lowry; W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, Z Ward; A Morgan, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, R Herring, T O’Toole; I Henderson, K Treadwell; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, D McCann. Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, S Wilson, H Sheridan, Marcus Rea, D Shanahan, J Humphreys, R Telfer.
Connacht: S Cordero; C Mullins, B Ralston, C Forde, A Smith; J Carty, M Devine; D Buckley, E de Buitléar, S Illo; D Murray, J Joyce; C Prendergast (capt), S Hurley-Langton, S O’Brien. Replacements: A McBurney, J Duggan, J Aungier, O Dowling, P Boyle, B Murphy, David Hawkshaw, C Oliver.
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