For Saturday’s BKT United Rugby Championship semi-final matchup against Glasgow Warriors at the Aviva Stadium (kickoff at 2.45pm), head coach Leo Cullen has made three changes to the Leinster squad. You can purchase tickets here.
Before kickoff, supporters of all ages can enjoy a variety of activities at the Aviva Stadium. Check out the most recent news from Leinster Rugby and make plans for your day there here. Gates open at 1.15 p.m.
Tommy O’Brien, the player-of-the-match when Glasgow visited Dublin in round 18, enters on the right wing, and Jimmy O’Brien, Leinster’s newest centurion, moves to full-back after Hugo Keenan suffered a calf injury during training this week.
Josh van der Flier felt some tightness in his hamstring during last week’s quarter-final win over the Scarlets, so Scott Penny will wear the number 7 jersey, in a back row that also features captain Jack Conan and Ryan Baird.
Dan Sheehan replaces Rónan Kelleher at hooker in the final change, as table toppers Leinster bid to beat Glasgow for the third time this season and set up a URC final at Croke Park on Saturday week (June 14).
Andrew Porter, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, and James Ryan complete an all-Ireland international tight five, while Sam Prendergast and Jamison Gibson-Park will control matters from the half-back positions.
Jamie Osborne, one of 12 Leinster players included in Ireland’s summer tour squad, will start again in the centre alongside New Zealand star Jordie Barrett.
James Lowe, who is within two scores of equalling Shane Horgan’s Leinster try-scoring record of 69 tries, continues on the left wing. He has scored six tries in his last five appearances.
The province’s five-three bench split has RG Snyman, the newly-crowned URC Players’ Player of the Season, Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, and Max Deegan as the replacement forwards.
Luke McGrath and Ciarán Frawley are the back-line options alongside Ross Byrne, who will be making his final appearance at the Aviva Stadium for Leinster ahead of his move to Gloucester.
The 22-times capped Ireland international has scored 1194 points in 184 matches for his home province, and will hope to add to that total on Saturday afternoon.
This is Leinster’s 15th appearance in a URC semi-final, losing only four but three of those defeats have been in the last three years. Cullen knows his side will have to be at their best, or close to it, in order to end Glasgow’s league title defence.
“Glasgow won’t be afraid, you saw them last weekend against the Stormers (winning 36-18). They have that slogan, ‘Whatever It Takes’, so they certainly push the boundaries. The penalty count the last time was 16 to four (against Glasgow),” he said.
“They are the reigning champions, they won away last year in Limerick in a semi, and went away to win a final. We know they’ll be hard to handle, tough to play against.
“They’re very, very competitive in all facets of the game. We’ve obviously played them a couple of times in recent weeks. A great challenge for our guys, and we’re looking forward to it now.
“We’re unbelievably excited, it’s great to be in the last-four – the best four teams in the URC over the course of the year. It’s such a competitive league, with the best of what the five nations have to offer.”
He added: “Josh went off (with a tight hamstring) against the Scarlets so he’s not back for this weekend. It’s tight. It’s coming a little bit too soon. It’s coming a little bit too soon for Garry (Ringrose) as well.
“Hugo has picked up a (calf) niggle, so he’s out. We’re back to a five-three (bench) split as well, again it’s just a little bit around the personnel.
“Tommy (O’Brien) has done well to get back. Hugo, we didn’t think was that significant – he trained on Tuesday but then he started to flag.
“At that point Tommy was coming back into training, so we moved Jimmy (O’Brien) to 15 and Tommy in on the wing. Tommy has been excellent for the team all year, so I don’t think he drops the overall group in any way.
“Scott Penny has also been an unbelievably consistent performer for the team all the way throughout the season, so it’s great that he’s playing in a knockout game now. Listen, the team is littered with lots of experience there. It’s an exciting group.”
LEINSTER (v Glasgow Warriors): Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Scott Penny, Jack Conan (capt).
