Scott Fardy starts in Leinster backrow for Saracens visit

Patched up, strapped up, Isa Nacewa will play at 12 while England outhalf Owen Farrell also returns, but Seán O'Brien failed a fitness test and Jack Conan has medial knee damage so Leinster have bent home rules by naming Scott Fardy on the blindside flank for Sunday's Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens at the Aviva Stadium.

The IRFU allowed Leo Cullen to sign the Wallaby veteran on the condition they run him at lock, until James Ryan came through, and not flanker where he was so impressive in the 2015 World Cup final.

"The agreement we had when we signed Scott was he would be a secondrow," said Cullen, " but with the injuries we had – Jack Conan got injured at the weekend against the Ospreys, and losing other backrowers like Jamie Heaslip, Josh van der Flier while Rhys Ruddock is just coming back, he only dropped into training this week so he's done incredibly well.

“Scott has more Test experience at six than lock.”

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And Ryan is ready to take over tighthead locking role alongside Dev Toner with Ruddock and Max Deegan guaranteed impact against the European champions.

“It was very, very close for Seán,” said Cullen. “He’s worked so hard to get back, first from his hip and then took a shoulder knock away to Scarlets. He was training out there today but we just felt he hadn’t done enough at this stage. He’s not a million miles away.”

Dan Leavy is a capable replacement at openside with Jordi Murphy a notable selection at number eight in the forced reshuffle caused by Conan's injury.

Farrell returns from the quad injury at Twickenham on St Patrick’s Day (there are 13 Leinster players from that game and five Saracens).

“He’s such a key figure for Saracens but they have an able deputy in Alex Lozowski. We have prepped for both scenarios but we expect to see Owen Farrell step in there.”

LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Isa Nacewa (capt), James Lowe; Johnny Sexton, Luke McGrath; Cian Healy, Seán Cronin, Tadhg Furlong; Devin Toner, James Ryan; Scott Fardy, Dan Leavy, Jordi Murphy.

Replacements: James Tracy, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Rhys Ruddock, Max Deegan, Nick McCarthy, Joey Carbery, Rory O'Loughlin.

SARACENS: Alex Goode; Liam Williams, Marcelo Bosch, Brad Barritt (capt), Sean Maitland; Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Juan Fogallo; Maro Itoje, George Kruis; Nick Isiekwe, Schalk Burder, Jackson.

Replacements: Schalk Brits, Richard Barrington, Titi Lamositele, Dom Day, Blair Cowan, Ben Spencer, Alex Lozowski, Chris Wyles.

Referee: Jérome Garcés.