Despite calling Brian O'Driscoll into an extended squad earlier in the week Leinster coach Michael Cheika has opted to rest his captain ahead of the meeting with Munster as he continues his recovery from injury.

O'Driscoll has not set foot on a pitch since being helped off in the Six Nations game against Wales in Croke Park in March.

Munster, too, have chosen to rest their captain but Paul O'Connell is among the replacements for the top of the table Magner's League match in the RDS tomorrow.

Having come on against Llanelli at Stradey Park a fortnight ago Leinster fullback Girvan Dempsey has been handed a starting berth. Luke Fitzgerald moves to outside centre where he will partner Felipe Contepomi.

Chris Whitaker and Jonathan Sexton continue their halfback partnership.

In the pack, Keith Gleeson returns to openside and hooker Bernard Jackman will make his 50th appearance, with props Ollie Le Roux and Stan Wright named on either side of him.

Lock Leo Cullen captains the side, lining out beside Malcolm O'Kelly.  A nine-man Leinster bench will be cut to seven an hour before the 6.30pm kick-off.

After suffering a back spasm in the warm-up to the Gloucester victory, prop Marcus Horan is left out of the Munster 22 altogether.  Tony Buckley, John Hayes and Jerry Flannery start in the frontrow, while Mick O'Driscoll replaces O'Connell. Outhalf Ronan O'Gara captains the side.

Scrumhalf Peter Stringer returns after being surprisingly dropped for the Kingsholm game, while Anthony Foley starts at number eight with David Wallace rested and Denis Leamy moving to openside.

Munster trail leaders Leinster by 11 points in the league and need a win if they are to remain in touch.  Recent history suggests a tall order for Declan Kidney's men who have not won in Dublin four-and-a-half-years.

Leinster: Girvan Dempsey; Shane Horgan, Luke Fitzgerald, Felipe Contepomi, Rob Kearney; Jonathan Sexton, Chris Whitaker; Ollie le Roux, Bernard Jackman, Stan Wright; Leo Cullen (c), Malcolm O'Kelly; Shane Jennings, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip

Replacements from: Brian Blaney, Cian Healy, Stephen Knoop, Trevor Hogan, Stephen Keogh, Chris Keane, Eoin O'Malley, Michael Berne, Gary Brown 

Denis Hurley; Doug Howlett, Lifeimi Mafi, Rua Tipoki, Ian Dowling; Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer; Tony Buckley, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes; Donncha O'Callaghan, Mick O'Driscoll; Alan Quinlan, Denis Leamy, Anthony Foley

Replacements: Frank Sheahan,  Federico Pucciariello, Paul O'Connell, Niall Ronan, Tomas O'Leary, Paul Warwick, Kieran Lewis