Ireland internationals Rob Kearney, Cian Healy and Mike McCarthy return to the Leinster team for Friday night's friendly against Bath at Donnybrook (7.30). The recently arrived Super Rugby winning Hurricanes scrumhalf Jamison Gibson Park will don the blue jersey for the first time.
Kearney missed Ireland’s summer tour to South Africa with a hamstring issue. Healy hasn’t played since April because of neck and knee issues while McCarthy has been sidelined since sustaining a severe concussion in a Six Nations Championship match against France last February.
Leinster coach Leo Cullen has switched Garry Ringrose to the right wing and this allows Noel Reid to join last week's try scorer Rory O'Loughlin in the centre. Joey Carbery made a big impression when introduced last week against Gloucester and he forms a halfback partnership with Gibson Park.
Ross Molony captains the team from the secondrow while the backrow has a youthful look given the presence of Josh Murphy, Dan Leavy and Peadar Timmons with Josh van der Flier included amongst an extensive bench.
Munster welcome back a trio of internationals in James Cronin, Tommy O’Donnell and Simon Zebo for their friendly against the Worcester Warriors at Musgrave Park on Friday night (7.0). South African born secondrow Jean Kleyn will make his debut for the province while in further good news, former New Zealand underage international Tyler Bleyendaal is named at outhalf.
He managed just five competitive appearances last season so Munster fans, players and management will be keeping their fingers crossed that he can stay injury free. Former Leinster centre Collie O’Shea, who started last weekend’s clash with Zebre, has signed a short-term three month contract with the province.
Meanwhile, on the injury front, hooker Mike Sherry has undergone a procedure on his back and will be side-lined for approximately three to four months.
Leinster: R Kearney; G Ringrose. R O'Loughlin, N Reid, A Byrne; J Carbery, J Gibson Park; C Healy, J Tracy, M Bent; R Molony(capt), M McCarthy; J Murphy, D Leavy, P Timmins. Replacements (from): B Byrne, A Porter, J Loughman, H Triggs, D Ryan, N McCarthy, C Marsh, Z Kirchner, S McNulty, P Dooley, I Nagle J van der Flier, C Rock, R Byrne, T Daly, B Daly.
Munster: S Zebo; D Sweetnam, D Goggin, R Scannell, R O'Mahony; T Bleyendaal, D Williams; J Cronin, N Scannell, J Ryan; J Kleyn, Billy Holland (capt); D O'Callaghan, T O'Donnell, J O'Donoghue. Replacements (from): D Casey, P McCabe, J Andress, B Scott, D O'Shea, D Foley, C Oliver, R Copeland, T O'Leary, n Keatley, A Wootton, C Bohane, C O'Shea, S Fitzgerald.
