JENKINS AND CONNORS START FOR LEINSTER WITH RYAN ON THE BENCH

WILL CONNORS HAS been handed Leinster’s number seven shirt for tomorrow’s Champions Cup final against Toulouse in London [KO 2.45pm, RTÉ/TNT].

The Kildare man has been brought back into the starting XV for his third start of this Champions Cup campaign, with Josh van der Flier named as part of a 6/2 Leinster bench.

Experienced second row James Ryan is also part of a punchy-looking Leinster bench, with Springboks-capped lock Jason Jenkins named to start alongside Joe McCarthy, meaning Ross Molony misses out on the matchday 23. Ryan Baird will call the lineout, as he did in the quarter-final against La Rochelle.

Jordan Larmour starts on the right wing, with Jimmy O’Brien among those unlucky not to be involved against Toulouse.

It’s a familiar-looking Leinster team overall, with Larmour joined in the back three by left wing James Lowe and fullback Hugo Keenan, who returned from injury against Ulster last weekend.

With Garry Ringrose absent once again as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury, Robbie Henshaw and Jamie Osborne continue in midfield, while Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne make up the halfback pairing again.

Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, and Tadhg Furlong form a strong front row, with Baird and captain Caelan Doris completing the back row alongside Connors.

Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher, and Michael Ala’alatoa are the front row replacements, while Ryan, Jack Conan, and van der Flier will look to provide impact in the back five of the scrum.

Scrum-half Luke McGrath and the versatile Ciarán Frawley have been named as the two backs on the Leinster bench.

Toulouse have named an unchanged starting XV from their semi-final defeat of Harlequins, with Blair Kinghorn retaining his place at fullback and Thomas Ramos again starting on the bench.

There is however a positional switch in the Toulouse backrow, with Jack Willis named at blindside flanker and François Cros moving to openside.

Joshua Brennan, son of former Ireland international Trevor, has been named on the Toulouse bench.

15. Hugo Keenan

14. Jordan Larmour

13. Robbie Henshaw

12. Jamie Osborne

11. James Lowe

10. Ross Byrne

9. Jamison Gibson-Park 

1. Andrew Porter

2. Dan Sheehan

3. Tadhg Furlong

4. Joe McCarthy

5. Jason Jenkins

6. Ryan Baird

7. Will Connors

8. Caelan Doris (captain)

Replacements:

16. Rónan Kelleher

17. Cian Healy 

18. Michael Ala’alatoa

19. James Ryan

20. Jack Conan

21. Luke McGrath

22. Ciarán Frawley

23. Josh van der Flier

Toulouse: 

15. Blair Kinghorn

14. Juan Cruz Mallia

13. Paul Costes

12. Pita Ahki

11. Matthis Lebel

10. Romain Ntamack

9. Antoine Dupont (captain)

1. Cyril Baille

2. Peato Mauvaka

3. Dorian Aldegheri

4. Thibaud Flament

5. Emmanuel Meafou

6. Jack Willis

7. François Cros

8. Alexandre Roumat

Replacements:

16. Julien Marchand

17. Rodrigue Neti

18. Joel Merkler

19. Richie Arnold

20. Joshua Brennan

21. Paul Graou

22. Santiago Chocobares

23. Thomas Ramos 

Referee: Matthew Carley [RFU].

2024-05-24T11:03:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd