 |
| Add caption |
Leinster have retained their starting line-up from the quarter-final win over Bath for Sunday's European Champions Cup semi-final against holders Toulon.
That means centre Ben T'eo, fly-half Jimmy Gopperth and Mike McCarthy are the only starters from last weekend's damaging Pro12 defeat by the Dragons.
Irish Six Nations stars Rob Kearney, Cian Healy, Sean O'Brien and Jamie Heaslip are all named in the side.
Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny has been passed fit to start for Toulon.
Halfpenny's return after missing the 32-18 quarter-final win over Wasps means a switch to wing for ex-England international Delon Armitage.
Other backs changes from the quarter-final see Springboks star Bryan Habana replacing Drew Mitchell on the other wing and Matt Giteau taking over from injured Maxime Mermoz at centre.
Xavier Chiocci is preferred to Alexandre Menini at prop while there are two changes in the back row from the previous round with Juan Smith and Juan Fernandez Lobbe replacing Mamuka Gorgodze and Steffon Armitage.
T'eo's selection at centre for Leinster means that Gordon D'Arcy again has to be content with a place on the bench.
Last weekend's defeat by the Dragons has left Leinster's Pro12 chances hanging by a thread and the European competition is now probably their only remaining chance of silverware this season.
However, Matt O'Connor's side will be up against a big-budget Toulon side who can afford to leave top-class performers such as Steffon Armitage, Menini and Mitchell on the bench.
The French outfit are attempting to secure an unprecedented third successive European club title this season after their Heineken Cup triumphs over the past two years.
Three-time Heineken Cup champions Leinster have misfired in their defence of the Pro12 title this year and failed to score a try in their win over Bath as Ian Madigan's six penalties proved enough.
Leinster's strength in that game was their discipline as they gave few penalties and they will need a repeat of that with Wayne Barnes taking charge of Sunday's game.
However, Toulon defeated the Irish province 29-14 in last year's quarter-finals and will favourites to repeat that victory.
Toulon: Halfpenny; D Armitage, M Bastareaud, Gitea, Habana; Michalak, Tillous-Borde; Chiocci, Guirado, Hayman (capt); Botha, Williams; Smith, Fernandez Lobbe, Masoe.
Replacements: Orioli, Menini, Chilachava, S Armitage, Mitchell, Wulf, Claassens, Suta
Leinster: R Kearney; McFadden, Te'o, Madigan, Fitzgerald; Gopperth, Boss; Healy, Cronin, Ross, Toner, M McCarthy, J Murphy, O'Brien, J Heaslip.
Replacements: Strauss, J McGrath, Moore, Marshall, D Ryan, Reddan, G D'Arcy, Kirchner.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
No comments:
Post a Comment