Ian Madigan to start at outhalf for Leinster in Northampton

Heineken Cup team news: Leinster have made six changes from their last Heineken Cup outing against Castres for Saturday's trip to take on Northampton Saints at Frankiln's Gardens, with Ian Madigan starting at outhalf ahead of Jimmy Gopperth.

In total there are four changes to the backline and one positional switch, with Dave Kearney moving from the left wing to the right due to the injury to Fergus McFadden.

Luke Fitzgerald comes in on the left wing, Brian O'Driscoll takes over from Brendan Macken alongside Gordon D'Arcy in midfield and Eoin Reddan takes over from Isaac Boss to form a new halfback partnership with Madigan.

The two changes in the pack see Mike Ross return at tighthead, with Martin Moore moving to the bench and Rhys Ruddock coming in at blindside flanker for the injured Kevin McLaughlin.

It's an all Irish starting XV, with Gopperth and South African back Zane Kirchner named on the bench.

Ulster have made four changes from the side that won 25-8 in Montpellier for the home game against Treviso at Ravenhill on Saturday (6.0pm).

Craig Gilroy replaces the injured Tommy Bowe on the left wing, while there are two changes in the frontrow, where hooker Rob Herring comes in for the injured Rory Best and John Afoa is in at tighthead, with Declan Fitzpatrick named on the bench.

The final change comes in the backrow, where the Australia-born Irish qualified Sean Doyle is named at openside ahead of another injury absentee Chris Henry, with Mike McComish named on the bench.

Johann Muller is back in the secondrow after recovering from injury, while Jared Payne is also back in the side at fullback after returning to fitness.

Munster include captain Peter O'Mahony and Conor Murray in their side for the first time since October for the home clash against Perpignan at Thomond park on Sunday (12.45pm).

There are two changes from their last Heineken Cup outing against Gloucester, with Stephen Archer getting the nod ahead of BJ Botha at tighthead and James Coughlan coming back at number eight.

O’Mahony started at the back of the scrum in the 26-10 victory over Gloucester and he moves across to blindside where the injured Donnacha Ryan started that day.

Billy Holland is named on the bench for the first time in this season's Heineken Cup alongside Shannon hooker Duncan Casey who could make his competitive debut for the province.

Munster currently lie second in Pool 6, a point behind Perpignan.

Connacht have made six changes to the side that beat Zebre 33-6 in Italy last time out for the daunting trip to play Toulouse at the Stade Ernest Wallon on Sunday (3.0pm Irish time).

Robbie Henshaw switches back to fullback to takeover from James So’oialo, who has returned home.

Fionn Carr comes in for Danie Poolman on the right wing and there is a new centre partnership of Eoin Griffin and Dave McSharry.

In the pack Nathan White takes over at tighthead from Rodney Ah You, with Mick Kearney joining skipper Craig Clarke in the secondrow and John Muldoon returns at blindside flanker.

LEINSTER (v Northampton, Franklin's Gardens, Saturday, 6.0pm): R Kearney; D Kearney, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; I Madigan, E Reddan; C Healy, S Cronin, M Ross; D Toner, M McCarthy; R Ruddock, S O'Brien, J Heaslip (capt). Replacements: A Dundon, J McGrath, M Moore, L Cullen, S Jennings, I Boss, J Gopperth, Z Kirchner.

NORTHAMPTON: J Wilson; K Pisi, D Waldouck, L Burrell, G North; S Myler, L Dickson; A Waller, D Hartley (capt), S Ma'afu; S Manoa, C Lawes; T Wood, P Dowson, S Dickinson. Replacements: M Haywood, E Waller, T Mercey, C Day, C Clark, R Glynn, G Dickson, J Elliott.

ULSTER (v Treviso, Ravenhill, Saturday, 6.0pm): J Payne; A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; T Court, R Herring, J Afoa; J Muller (capt), D Tuohy; R Diack, S Doyle, R Wilson. Replacements: N Annett, C Black, D Fitzpatrick, N McComb, M McComish, P Marshall, M Allen, D McIlwaine.

TREVISO: L McLean; L Nitoglia, M Campagnaro, A Sgarbi, A Esposito; M Berquist, E Gori; A de Marchi, L Ghiraldini, L Cittadini; A Pavanello (capt), C van Zyl; A Zanni, D Budd, R Barbieri. Replacements: F Sbaraglini, M Rizzo, I Fernandez Rouyet, P Derbyshire, M Filippucci, C Loamanu, T Botes, J Ambrosini.

MUNSTER (v Perpignan, Thomond Park, Sunday, 12.45pm): F Jones; K Earls, C Laulala, J Downey, J Murphy; I Keatley, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, D Varley, S Archer; Donncha O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt); P O'Mahony, S Dougall, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Casey, J Cronin, BJ Botha, B Holland, CJ Stander, C Sheridan, JJ Hanrahan, D Hurley.

PERPIGNAN: J Hook (capt); J Michel, T Benvenuti, W Votu, S Guitoune; C Lopez, T Ecochard; S Taofifenua, R Terrain, P Ion, L Charteris, G Vilaceca, J-P Perez, A Strokosch, J Purll. Replacements: M Delonca, K Pulu, J Baptiste Custoja, S Vahaamahina, D Duvenage, T Allan, R Haughton, D Leo.

TOULOUSE (v Connacht, Stade Ernest Wallon, Sunday, 3.0pm Irish time): C Poitrenaud; Y Huget, F Fritz, Y David , H Gear; J-P Barraque, J Vermaak; G Steenkamp, C Ralepelle, C Johnston; E Maka, Y Maestri, Y Camara, T Dusautoir (capt), L Picamoles. Replacements: J Bregvadze, S Ferreira, Y Montes, R Millo-Chluski, C Tolofua, J-M Doussain, L Beauxis, T Matanavou.

CONNACHT: R Henshaw; F Carr, E Griffin, D McSharry, M Healy; D Parks, K Marmion; B Wilkinson, S Henry, N White; M Kearney, C Clarke (capt); J Muldoon, J Heenan, G Naoupu. Replacements: J Harris Wright, D Buckley, R Ah You, M Swift, E McKeon, F Murphy, C Ronaldson, G Duffy.