Celtic League / Leinster v Ulster: Lions and Irish internationals Denis Hickie and Shane Horgan will start their first competitive game of the season for Leinster in the Celtic League clash with Ulster at Donnybrook tomorrow.
The pair were second-half replacements in the recent 33-14 victory over the Dragons. Hickie will play on the right wing with Horgan down to start at outside centre rather than the inside slot he normally occupies.
He is joined in the midfield by the in-form Felipe Contepomi, who will continue to captain the side. New Zealander Bryce Williams, who arrived in Dublin from Auckland on Monday, is named in the secondrow alongside Ben Gissing. Jamie Heaslip continues to hold down the number eight jersey.
Leinster coach Michael Cheika can call upon a very strong bench that includes another brace of Lions in Eric Miller and Gordon D'Arcy. The latter joins the match squad for the first time this season after injury.
The presence of Kieran Lewis on the Leinster bench must set Munster teeth on edge as they struggle to fill the outside centre role, having tried Denis Leamy amongst others. Lewis is one of the brightest young backs in the country yet is not guaranteed a place when the Heineken European Cup starts next month.
Meanwhile, Andy Dunne's foot injury hasn't cleared up and so he misses Bath's Premiership match against Bristol tomorrow. He suffered the damage in last week's victory over Newcastle.
Harlequins make 10 changes to their team for tomorrow's game against Doncaster. The only back to retain his place is Irish international Gavin Duffy who continues to wear number 15.
Ireland's Mel Deane drops to the bench while compatriot Simon Keogh, a try scorer last week, drops out of the match squad. Shane Jennings starts for Leicester in their cross-border clash with the Dragons, Leo Cullen and Ian Humphreys are on the bench but there is no place for Geordan Murphy whose competitive rugby is being rationed after his Lions exertions.
LEINSTER: G Dempsey; D Hickie, S Horgan, F Contepomi, R Kearney; C Warner, G Easterby; R Corrigan, B Jackman, W Green; B Williams, B Gissing; C Potts, K Gleeson, J Heaslip. Replacements: R McCormack, D Blaney, D Dillon, E Miller, B O'Meara, K Lewis, G D'Arcy.
