Leinster Include McLaughlin and Reddan

Brian O'Driscoll and Rob Kearney have been passed fit to line up for Leinster in Saturday's all-Irish Heineken Cup final against Ulster.

O'Driscoll starts despite having minor knee surgery last week while Kearney has recovered from a back problem.

Eoin Reddan's return in place of Isaac Boss is one of three changes from the semi-final win over Clermont-Auvergne.

Fergus McFadden and Kevin McLaughlin replace Shane Jennings and Luke Fitzgerald at wing and flanker.

Boss' physicality had earned him the scrum-half starting slot in the thrilling semi-final win in France but Reddan, the regular first-choice number nine, regained the jersey for the Twickenham decider.

McLaughlin was hampered by a knock in the run-up to the semi-final but returns in place of Jennings in the back row.

Wing Fitzgerald was ruled out of the decider two weeks ago after suffering a recurrence of a neck injury which requires surgery.

O'Driscoll had some cartilage removed from his knee last week but there was never any real doubt about the Irish captain's availability for the decider.

"He trained fully yesterday and trained well. We didn't train him today on the pitch [at Twickenham], but he is in good shape, and he will play tomorrow," said Leinster coach Joe Schmidt.

O'Driscoll's fight for fitness mirrored this time 12 months ago when another knee injury left him doubtful for the European final against Northampton.

He did play in Cardiff but was hampered by the injury.

"You'd want to have a limb falling off not to be able to play in the Heineken Cup final," said O'Driscoll.

"One thing about having a longish career is that you learn to deal with having knocks going into games."

Kearney did train on Friday and Schmidt described the full-back as "feeling pretty comfortable".

Schmidt is expecting his players to sustain more "bumps and bruises" in Saturday's contest.

"We know Ulster are going to take a leaf out of the same book as Clermont [who they beat in the Heineken Cup semi-final] and Glasgow [who they beat in the Pro 12 semi-final] and be very physical.

"It will be a case of having to freshen things up as we go."

The coach added that his decision to leave Jennings out of the starting line-up had been "tough".

"Shane is a real leader on and off the pitch for us, but it is just about getting a degree of balance, and what he brings at the back end of the game.

"There is a little bit of strategy to it and a little bit of misfortune for 'Jenno'."

Leinster's All Black lock Brad Thorn is in line to make history by becoming the first player to win World Cup, Super Rugby and Heineken Cup medals.

The 37-year-old former All Blacks lock has been a key part of Leinster's charge to the final.

Champions in 2009 and 2011, Leinster will become the first side to win the trophy three times in four years if they beat Ulster at Twickenham.

Leinster: R Kearney; F McFadden, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, I Nacewa; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross; L Cullen (capt), B Thorn, K McLaughlin; S O'Brien, J Heaslip.

Replacements: S Cronin, H van der Merwe, N White, D Toner, S Jennings, I Boss, I Madigan, D Kearney.