Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has handed the majority of the players who started their last Heineken Cup outing – the home defeat to Northampton at the Aviva Stadium – the chance to make amends against Castres this Sunday.
A dozen of the side that took to the field in December have been selected for the trip to France with injury forcing his hand in the back row while the Australian makes a tactical switch at outhalf.
Sean O'Brien's dislocated shoulder and a calf strain to Rhys Ruddock opens the door for Kevin McLaughlin and Jordi Murphy in the back row. The only other change sees Jimmy Gopperth come in at number 10 in place of Ian Madigan.
Castres Olympique: B Dulin; R Grosso, S Bai, R Lamerat, M Evans; R Tales (captain), C Garcia; Y Forestier, MA Rallier, K Wihongi, R Gray, C Samson, M Babillot, I Diarra, P Faasalele. Replacements: B Mach, M Lazar, A Peikrishvili, B Desroche, Y Caballero, J Tomas, D Kirkpatrick, M Garvey
Leinster: R Kearney; D Kearney, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Gopperth, E Reddan; J McGrath, S Cronin, M Ross; D Toner, M McCarthy; K McLaughlin, J Murphy, J Heaslip. Replacements: A Dundon, J O'Connell, M Moore, L Cullen, S Jennings, I Boss, I Madigan, Z Kirchner
