Rhys Ruddock in Leinster squad for first time this season

Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has made two changes to the Leinster XV to take on the Newport Gwent Dragons in the Guinness Pro12 on Saturday.

From the team that beat Cardiff Blues 23-15 last time out in the RDS Marty Moore returns from injury for his first game since April's Champions Cup game against Toulon and lines out at tighthead prop, while Isaac Boss makes his first start of the campaign from scrumhalf having come off the bench against Edinburgh and Cardiff.

James Tracy and Rhys Ruddock are included in a match day squad for the first time this season and Ruddock hopes to make his first appearance for Leinster since March last year when he played 80 minutes against the Scarlets.

The rest of the starting fifteen is unchanged with a back three of Isa Nacewa - who also captains the side - Fergus McFadden and Garry Ringrose.

Noel Reid and Ben Te’o once again form the centre partnership with the aforementioned Boss partnering Cathal Marsh in the half backs.

Michael Bent starts at loosehead prop, with Aaron Dundon at hooker and Moore on the other side of the scrum. In the second row Ross Molony makes only his second ever RDS start, with the vastly experienced Mike McCarthy beside him for his 54th Leinster cap and 294th cap in professional club rugby.

In the back row Irish internationals Dominic Ryan (blindisde flanker) and Jack Conan (number eight) are once again joined by Josh van der Flier, who starts at openside.

Meanwhile Connacht head Coach Pat Lam has named his side to play Cardiff Blues at the Sportsground (also on Saturday) and there are three changes from the team that started against Glasgow three weeks ago.

Finlay Bealham comes into the front row for his first start of the season and to replace Rodney Ah You who picked up a hamstring injury during the week.

Galway man Eoin McKeon returns from injury to make a start at Number eight in a back row with captain John Muldoon and Nepia-Fox Matamua.

Ireland international Kieran Marmion will start at scrum half in an otherwise unchanged back line.

From the bench, experienced forwards Aly Muldowney and George Naoupu are both in line to make their season debut while year one Academy prop Conan O'Donnell is named in the match day squad for the first time. The 19-year-old from Sligo has nine Ireland Under-20 caps from last season's World Rugby Championship and Six Nations competitions.

Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, head coach Pat Lam said:

“Having recently lost players Rodney (Ah You), Ultan (Dillane), and Eoghan (Masterson) to injury, we see some changes to the team from last time out. Again, it’s a very young side, especially the back line, so it’s always pleasing to be able to call on the experience of guys like Aly (Muldowney) and George (Naoupu) from the bench.

"Young Conan (O'Donnell) has been called up. We are low on tightheads with Nathan (White) away at the World Cup. It's probably a bit earlier than Conan expected to be playing Pro12 rugby but he is a talented player who has a lot of experience with the under-20's. He has prepared well this week in training and I have no doubt he will grab the opportunity with both hands if he's called on tomorrow.

“The boys can’t wait to get back out and play again tomorrow and having our home support behind us will certainly help in our fight for points. Cardiff are a good side who have had a similar start to the season as us. We’ve both had a little more time to prepare for this game than normal schedules would allow so it’s certainly set up to be a lively encounter.”

LEINSTER: Isa Nacewa (captain); Fergus McFadden, Ben Te'o, Noel Reid, Garry Ringrose; Cathal Marsh, Isaac Boss; Michael Bent, Aaron Dundon, Marty Moore; Ross Molony, Mike McCarthy; Dominic Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.

Replacements: James Tracy, Peter Dooley, Jamie Hagan, Rhys Ruddock, Dan Leavy, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Cian Kelleher.

CONNACHT: Tiernan O'Halloran; Danie Poolman, Rory Parata, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham; Quinn Roux, Andrew Browne; John Muldoon (captain), Nepia Fox-Matamua, Eoin McKeon.

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney, Conan O’Donnell, Aly Muldowney, George Naoupu, John Cooney, Craig Ronaldson.