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Aviva Stadium to Host Majority of Leinster Home Games in 2025/26 – Season Tickets from €115

JoeNa Connacht — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:10:38 +0000

Aviva Stadium to Host Majority of Leinster Home Games in 2025/26 – Season Tickets from €115

Leinster Rugby has today announced Season Ticket details for the 2025/26 campaign, confirming that the Aviva Stadium will remain the primary venue for home fixtures in the BKT United Rugby Championship and the Investec Champions Cup. Croke Park will also be available to host additional high-capacity matches when required.

As part of a broader communication to Season Ticket Holders, the following key updates were confirmed:

The RDS Arena will reopen at the beginning of the 2026/27 season with an increased capacity of over 20,000.
For the 2025/26 season, the Aviva Stadium will host the majority of home games.
Ticket prices will increase by an average of 3.9% across most categories—the first rise since the 2018/19 season.
Junior Season Ticket prices remain frozen at €115, with lower-cost entry points for adults and families also retained.

Why the Aviva Stadium Remains the Home Base for Now

Matthew Dowling, Leinster Rugby’s Chief Commercial Officer, explained the decision:

“While the RDS Arena will be available from August 2025, we’d only be able to operate at a reduced capacity—not enough to accommodate our full Season Ticket base. We’ve grown from 12,248 Season Ticket Holders at the RDS to over 15,000 at the Aviva. The aim is to include as many supporters as possible at every game.”

He continued:

“We don’t want to disenfranchise any of our Season Ticket Holders—whether they’ve been with us for 12 years or just joined—so we’ve decided to wait until the new-look RDS Arena is fully complete before moving back.”

Ticket Pricing and Supporter Engagement

Dowling said pricing decisions were made following supporter feedback through the annual Leinster Listener survey and discussions with the Official Leinster Supporters Club (OLSC).

“We’ve extended the renewal window, retained entry-level pricing for adults and juniors, and kept the family-of-five and student ticket options that were well received. Unfortunately, operational costs have increased, and after holding prices steady for over six years, we’ve had to implement a modest average increase of under 4%—but junior prices remain untouched.”

He reaffirmed that Leinster Rugby is a not-for-profit organisation:

“All revenue is reinvested—whether it’s supporting over 39,000 registered players across our 12 counties or funding the pathway from grassroots to the professional game.”

The Road Back to the RDS Arena

Looking ahead, Dowling outlined plans for the transition back to the redeveloped RDS Arena in 2026/27:

“The new stadium will have capacity for over 20,000 and promises a brilliant match day experience. Our priority will be the supporters who were with us before the move to Aviva. We’ve engaged a world-renowned consultancy to manage this return and ensure fairness for newer fans too.”

He also expressed gratitude to key partners for their ongoing support:

“We’re thankful to the RDS, IRFU, FAI, Aviva Stadium, and the GAA for their help in managing our home fixtures this season and next.”

Season Ticket Benefits

In addition to access to all home URC and EPCR fixtures, Season Tickets will include:

Admission to all home Leinster Rugby Women’s games.
Access to Leinster Rugby ‘A’ matches in the new interprovincial series (excluding play-offs).

Key Dates for Season Ticket Holders

Renewal window: Friday, 14 March – Friday, 4 April 2025
Seat relocation option: Tuesday, 8 April 2025
Waiting list sales: Thursday, 17 April 2025
General public sale: Wednesday, 23 April 2025

A Strong Season On and Off the Pitch

Dowling concluded with a reflection on what has been a standout season so far:

“The Aviva and Croke Park have been brilliant hosts. We’ve averaged over 37,000 supporters at home games. Tania Rosser’s squad kicked off the season with an interpro title and a record crowd at Energia Park. Leo Cullen’s team has continued that momentum and remains unbeaten across both the URC and the Investec Champions Cup.”

“With a return to the RDS Arena on the horizon, this is a hugely exciting time for Leinster Rugby—and we can’t wait to share that journey with our supporters.”

The Season Ticket renewal window opens on Friday, 14 March 2025, with general sale starting Wednesday, 23 April 2025.

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Irish Rugby Transfers: 2025/26 Signings for Munster, Leinster, Ulster & Connacht (Updated Weekly)

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 20:06:52 +0000

Irish Rugby Transfers: 2025/26 Signings for Munster, Leinster, Ulster & Connacht (Updated Weekly)

Last Updated: March 5, 2025

The 2025/26 season is on the horizon, and while player movement across Ireland’s four provinces has been minimal, a few key signings have been confirmed. Will we see more transfers in the coming weeks? Here’s a weekly updated list of confirmed signings for each province.

Munster – Leading the Transfer Market

Munster have been the most active province so far, confirming four signings:

Michael Milne (Prop, 25) – from Leinster (IRL)
Lee Barron (Hooker, 24) – from Leinster (IRL)
JJ Hanrahan (Fly-half, 32) – from Connacht (IRL)
Dan Kelly (Centre, 24) – from Leicester Tigers (ENG)

With two front-row additions, a playmaker, and a promising centre in Dan Kelly, Munster are strengthening across key areas.

Ulster – A Single But Significant Addition

Ulster have made just one signing so far:

Juarno Augustus (Back row, 27) – from Northampton Saints (ENG)

The powerful South African No. 8 will bring much-needed physicality to Ulster’s back row.

Leinster – No Confirmed Signings Yet

Leinster have yet to announce any additions. Given their incredible academy pipeline, they may not feel the need to recruit externally. Will that change?

Connacht – Yet to Enter the Market

Like Leinster, Connacht have yet to confirm any signings. With JJ Hanrahan leaving for Munster, will they look for a replacement?

Should We Be Concerned About the Lack of Transfers?

Compared to previous seasons, Irish rugby’s transfer activity has been unusually quiet. Munster and Ulster have made moves, but Leinster and Connacht remain inactive.

Are budgets tighter than before?
Is there confidence in homegrown talent?
Will we see late-window signings?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Latest Irish Rugby Transfers (Updated Weekly)

Province	Player	Position	Age	From
Munster	Michael Milne	Prop	25	Leinster
Munster	Lee Barron	Hooker	24	Leinster
Munster	JJ Hanrahan	Fly-half	32	Connacht
Munster	Dan Kelly	Centre	24	Leicester
Ulster	Juarno Augustus	Back row	27	Northampton
Leinster
Connacht

This table will be updated weekly as new signings are announced.

Have Your Say!

Are you surprised by the lack of movement so far? Which province needs to strengthen most? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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Predicted URC Quarter-Finals: Who Makes the Top Eight?

JoeNa Connacht — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:55:46 +0000

With so many heavyweight clashes on the horizon, the URC playoffs promise to be one of the most exciting in years. Buckle up for a thrilling end to the season!

Predicted URC Quarter-Finals: Who Makes the Top Eight?

With the United Rugby Championship (URC) heading into the crucial final rounds, the playoff picture is beginning to take shape. Based on the latest standings and predicted results, we’ve forecasted the final league table and the quarter-final matchups. Here’s how the standings could look at the end of the regular season.

Predicted Final URC Table

Rank	Team	Played	Current Points	Predicted Additional Points	Final Points
1	Leinster	12	57	21	78
2	Sharks	11	34	30	64
3	Bulls	12	41	22	63
4	Glasgow Warriors	12	44	17	61
5	Stormers	12	28	28	56
6	Lions	11	28	26	54
7	Edinburgh	12	30	24	54
8	Munster	12	33	19	52
9	Connacht	12	29	15	44
10	Ospreys	12	28	15	43
11	Scarlets	12	28	14	42
12	Benetton	12	28	16	40
13	Ulster	12	27	13	40
14	Cardiff	12	31	9	40
15	Zebre	12	25	5	30
16	Dragons	12	8	2	10

Predicted URC Quarter-Finals

(1) Leinster vs (8) Munster

An all-Irish clash in the quarter-finals would be a blockbuster tie. Leinster, currently unbeaten, look set to finish as the top seed. Munster, sneaking into eighth, will face a huge challenge in Dublin. The 2023 champions will need a massive performance to upset their fierce rivals.

(2) Sharks vs (7) Edinburgh

The Sharks’ surge in form is expected to secure them the second seed, and they will welcome Edinburgh to South Africa. The Scottish side will need to be at their absolute best to take down a Sharks team filled with Springbok talent.

(3) Bulls vs (6) Lions

A fierce South African derby, this fixture would be an intense battle between two physical sides. The Bulls’ set-piece dominance could be a crucial factor, while the Lions will look to play an expansive game to keep their playoff hopes alive.

(4) Glasgow Warriors vs (5) Stormers

This clash between the Scottish and South African powerhouses promises fireworks. Glasgow’s home advantage will be key, but the Stormers are a dangerous side in the knockout stages. Expect a fast-paced, high-quality encounter.

Who Misses Out?

Connacht, currently eighth, are projected to drop out of the playoff places due to strong finishes from Edinburgh and the South African teams. Ospreys, Scarlets, and Benetton will also fall just short despite some promising performances. Ulster’s struggles continue, and they too are expected to miss out.

Final Thoughts

If these predictions hold, the URC quarter-finals will feature a thrilling mix of Irish, Scottish, and South African teams. Leinster will be the clear favourites, but with three South African teams in the top eight, the title could be heading back to the Southern Hemisphere. Glasgow and Munster will look to prove they can challenge for silverware, while Edinburgh will aim to cause an upset.

With so many heavyweight clashes on the horizon, the URC playoffs promise to be one of the most exciting in years. Buckle up for a thrilling end to the season!

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Leinster Rugby Fixtures for 2024/25 URC Announced

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 29 May 2024 17:14:39 +0000

Leinster Rugby Fixtures for 2024/25 URC Announced

The United Rugby Championship (URC) will release the fixtures for the 2024/25 season at 10am on Thursday, and Leinster fans are eagerly anticipating an action-packed year. As one of the leading teams in the competition, Leinster will be looking to build on their previous successes and make a strong push for the title.

The season kicks off with a high-octane opener against, setting the tone for what promises to be a thrilling campaign. With key matches against rivals and challenging away fixtures, Leinster’s schedule is both exciting and demanding.

Here is list of interpro derbys

Leinster v Connacht

Leinster v Munster

Leinster v Ulster

Ulster v Leinster

Munster v Leinster

Connacht v Leinster

Leinster’s 2024/25 URC Fixtures

R	Date	Home	Away	Venue	KO GMT/BST
1	Fri, Sept 20	Edinburgh	Leinster	Hive Stadium	19:35
2	Fri, Sept 27	Leinster	Dragons	Aviva Stadium	19:35
3	Sat, Oct 5	Benetton	Leinster	Stadio Monigo	17:15
4	Sat, Oct 12	Leinster	Munster	TBC	17:45
5	Sat, Oct 19	Connacht	Leinster	Dexcom Stadium	19:35
6	Sat, Oct 26	Leinster	Emirates Lions	Aviva Stadium	17:15
7	Fri, Nov 29	Ulster	Leinster	Kingspan Stadium	19:35
8	Thurs, Dec 26	Leinster	Connacht	Aviva Stadium	TBC
9	TBC	Munster	Leinster	Thomond Park	TBC
10	Sat, Jan 25	Leinster	DHL Stormers	Aviva Stadium	17:00
11	Fri, Feb 14	Ospreys	Leinster	TBC	19:35
12	Sat, Mar 1	Leinster	Cardiff	Aviva Stadium	15:00
13	Sat, Mar 22	Vodacom Bulls	Leinster	Loftus Versfeld Stadium	15:00
14	Sat, Mar 29	Hollywoodbets Sharks	Leinster	Hollywoodbets Kings Park
15	Sat, Apr 19	Leinster	Ulster	Aviva Stadium	19:35
16	Sat, Apr 26	Scarlets	Leinster	Parc y Scarlets	17:15
17	Sat, May 10	Leinster	Zebre Parma	Aviva Stadium	17:15
18	Sat, May 17	Leinster	Glasgow Warriors	Aviva Stadium	19:35

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Munster Rugby 3 Leinster Rugby 9

Breandán Ó hUallacháin — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 21:35:04 +0000

Leinster slogged it out in the St Stephen’s Day visit to Thomond Park as they defeated Munster by 9-3.

In front of a packed stadium, in terrible weather conditions, with strong wind and driving rain, Leinster scored two penalties from Harry Byrne in the first-half,, and one in the second with Munster scoring one from the boot of Jack Crowley in the second-half, meaning Leo Cullen’s side completed a United Rugby Championship double of their Munster rivals.

First-half

The home side came into the game with three wins in their last five matches, while Leinster were unbeaten in the last five.

Leinster dominated the opening 40 minutes, both on the field and on the score board and ending the half with a 6-0 advantage.

Harry Byrne opened the scoring within the first 90 seconds of the starting whistle when Munster were penalised directly in front of their own posts. The Leinster number 10 easily slotted over to give the visitors the early lead.

Byrne doubled his side’s score when Andrew Porter won a penalty in the ruck on 15 minutes.

Munster lose two in front row

Munster were without two of the starting front row players within the opening quarter of the game. Captain Diarmuid Barron lasted only seven minutes of the game, and was replaced by Eoghan Clarke.

In the 19th minute, prop Dave Kilcoyne was replaced by Jeremy Loughman, with the former having previously received treatment on the field for an injury.

In an opening half of difficult playing conditions, the visitors made the most of their efforts, as the hosts made a number of enforced errors.

Half-time: Munster Rugby 0 Leinster Rugby 6

Second-half

Jack Crowley had his first kick at the posts within four minutes of the re-start, but his penalty attempt was missed. The Munster kicked seemed to connect poorly and watched as the ball travelled agonisingly right and wide of the upright.

Munster’s injury woes continued in the 49th minute when the injured second row Edwin Edogbo was replaced by Brian Gleeson.

When Leinster turned the scrum instead of driving straight through, Jack Crowley had his second kick at goal. The Munster number 10 was successful on this occasion, as his kick dissected the posts to cut the Leinster lead in half on 51 minutes.

Deficit halved! Three big points for Munster and they’re back in the contest.

@RTE2 & @RTEplayer https://t.co/VgKAMJ3KiK

Updates https://t.co/5uBoTqxAE1

Radio commentary @rteradio1 pic.twitter.com/8LfjhjuFOQ

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) December 26, 2023

Harry Byrne’s third kick at goal, this time in the 60th minute came off the right upright and went wide – his first miss at the posts all night.

Within four minute the Leinster man had an effort to make amends from 31m out, when his next kick at the posts went left and wide, leaving his side with a 6-3 advantage, with the game in the final quarter.

With both sides emptying their benches in the final 10 minutes, Leinster made sure of their victory with a third Harry Byrne penalty of the game in the dying seconds of the second half.

The visitors leave Thomond Park with a 9-3 victory and complete a double victory over Munster this URC season.

Final score: Munster Rugby 3 Leinster Rugby 9

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Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 Fixtures

JoeNa Connacht — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 22:00:21 +0000

The Heineken Champions Cup round of 16 games have been confirmed following this weekend’s action in Europe’s premier rugby tournament.

With Ulster, Leinster and Munster all having home advantage in the second leg, they will travel away on the weekend of 8, 9, 10 April.

Ulster visit Toulouse, Leinster have the short journey to Connacht, while Munster travel to Exeter Chiefs.

In all-French clashes Stade Francais will host Racing 92 while Union Bordeaux-Begles will entertain Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle.

Sale Sharks are at home to Bristol Bears in an all-English match, while French sides Montpellier and Clermont Auverge will host English teams Harlequins and Leicester Tigers respectively.

The second leg games will be played on the weekend of 15, 16, 17 April.

Exact dates and kick-off times will be confirmed in the coming days.

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP
Round of 16 first leg – 8/9/10 April
Stade Francais v Racing 92
Toulouse v Ulster
Union Bordeaux-Begles v La Rochelle
Connacht v Leinster
Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears
Exeter Chiefs v Munster
Montpellier v Harlequins
Clermont Auvergne v Leicester Tigers

Round of 16 second leg – 15/16/17 April
Racing 92 v Stade Francais
Ulster v Toulouse
La Rochelle v Union Bordeaux-Begles
Leinster v Connacht
Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks
Munster v Exeter Chiefs
Harlequins v Montpellier
Leicester Tigers v Clermont Auvergne

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Cian Healy starts for Leinster in clash with Glasgow Warriors

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 11:10:56 +0000

The Leinster Rugby team to face Glasgow Warriors in Round 5 of the United Rugby Championship at Scotstoun Stadium tomorrow has been named by Leo Cullen (KO 7.35 pm – live on TG4, Premier Sports and URC TV).

This is the last game of the five-game block in the URC before a break for the Autumn Internationals.

Cian Healy starts at loosehead this week alongside Ronan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong in the front row.

Ross Molony and Ryan Baird round out the front five in the second row, with Caelan Doris, Dan Leavy and Jack Conan the back row trio.

Luke McGrath captains the side from scrum-half with Ross Byrne playing alongside him in the number 10 shirt.

Hugo Keenan, Adam Byrne and James Lowe are the back three selected by Cullen with recent Ireland call-up Ciarán Frawley and Garry Ringrose the centre partnership.

Another recent national call-up Dan Sheehan resides on the bench alongside the likes of Josh Van Der Flier and Devin Toner.

Leinster Team v Glasgow Warriors

15. Hugo Keenan (33)
14. Adam Byrne (58)
13. Garry Ringrose (89)
12. Ciarán Frawley (39)
11. James Lowe (54)
10. Ross Byrne (107)
9. Luke McGrath (154) CAPTAIN

1. Cian Healy (235)
2. Rónan Kelleher (27)
3. Tadhg Furlong (115)
4. Ross Molony (120)
5. Ryan Baird (31)
6. Caelan Doris (42)
7. Dan Leavy (74)
8. Jack Conan (106)

Replacements:

16. Dan Sheehan (16)
17. Ed Byrne (73)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (4)
19. Devin Toner (267)
20. Rhys Ruddock (192)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (104)
22. Jamie Osborne (8)
23. Josh van der Flier (101)

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Sexton among those being monitored by Leinster this week.

JoeNa Connacht — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 11:49:22 +0000

Leinster boss Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of the Round 5 United Rugby Championship clash with Glasgow Warriors on Friday at Scotstoun Stadium (KO 7.35 pm – live on TG4, Premier Sports and URC TV).

Friday’s game will be the final game in the current block of games before the break for the Autumn Internationals.

The latest update from Leinster is a positive one as several players will return to this week but will need to be further assessed before they are deemed match fit.

Caelan Doris (calf) and Ciarán Frawley (dead leg) both came through the win over Scarlets with no issues and will train as normal this week.

Jack Dunne (ankle) and Scott Penny (dead leg) have both returned to full training, with Dunne lining out at the weekend with Dublin University in the Energia All-Ireland League.

Harry Byrne and Dave Kearney are back in training this week after hip and ankle injuries respectively while Johnny Sexton will be monitored throughout the week after his hip injury.

Jimmy O’Brien missed out last week through illness and will be further assessed this week before a decision is made, as will Rory O’Loughlin (shoulder).

James Ryan has entered the Graduated Return to Play Protocols while Robbie Henshaw will be unavailable for selection this week but in positive news, he will take some part in training this week as the medics continue to monitor his progress.

There are no further updates on Michael Milne (calf), Will Connors (knee) and Thomas Clarkson (hamstring).

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Leinster v Scarlets – Preview, Team News, Odds, Where To Watch

JoeNa Connacht — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 11:26:38 +0000

Leinster will welcome Scarlets to the RDS Arena on Saturday in round four of the United Rugby Championship.

Leinster, who have been crowned champions for the past four seasons, sit a point behind Ulster and leaders Munster, last term’s beaten finalists, with the latter two having accumulated an extra bonus point.

Leo Cullen’s side have a fearsome record against Welsh opponents, suffering just one defeat to any of the four regions since September 2018 – a 24-19 loss to the Ospreys in Dublin back in March.

The Scarlets will be looking to bounce back from a below-par showing against a rotated Munster side in Round 3 but will need to earn their first away win since a 27-25 victory in Edinburgh at the end of February.

Their last three victories against Irish provinces have all been at Connacht’s expense while they have won just twice at the RDS in 15 visits in all competitions.

Leinster were 52-25 victors when these sides met in Llanelli in January and took the bragging rights at the RDS last season as well.

Leinster have confirmed that fly-half Harry Byrne and centre Rory O’Loughlin have been ruled out of the side’s upcoming United Rugby Championship clash.

However, there is a lot of positive news for the defending champions as several players have stepped up their recovery.

Cullen confirmed that Jordan Larmour (groin) and Adam Byrne (hamstring) came through the game against Zebre Parma with no issues and will train as normal this week.

The pair scored three tries between them at the weekend in the 36-point win over the Italians.

Also making a return to training this week will be Josh Murphy who has recovered from a calf injury.

There was also further positive news for Jack Dunne who aims to return to full training this week as he returns from an ankle injury.

Ciarán Frawley will start despite a soft tissue issue earlier in the week.

Tomas Lezana will make his debut for Scarlets when he starts at openside flanker in Dublin.

Teams

Leinster

15. Hugo Keenan (32)
14. Jordan Larmour (63)
13. Garry Ringrose (88)
12. Ciarán Frawley (38)
11. James Lowe (53)
10. Johnny Sexton (175) CAPTAIN
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (103)
1. Andrew Porter (79)
2. Rónan Kelleher (26)
3. Tadhg Furlong (114)
4. Ross Molony (119)
5. James Ryan (52)
6. Caelan Doris (41)
7. Josh van der Flier (100)
8. Jack Conan (105)

16. Dan Sheehan (15)
17. Cian Healy (234)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (3)
19. Ryan Baird (30)
20. Rhys Ruddock (191)
21. Luke McGrath (153)
22. Ross Byrne (106)
23. Jimmy O’Brien (36)

Scarlets

15 Ioan Nicholas; 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Jonathan Davies (capt), 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Ryan Conbeer; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Wyn Jones, 2 Ken Owens, 3 WillGriff John, 4 Lloyd Ashley, 5 Sam Lousi, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Tomas Lezana, 8 Blade Thomson

Reps: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Rob Evans, 18 Samson Lee, 19 Morgan Jones, 20 Shaun Evans, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Tom Rogers.

Odds

Leinster 1/14

Draw 35/1

Scarlets 15/2

Where To Watch

Kick-Off: 5.15 pm – live on TG4, S4C, Premier Sports and URC TV.

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Leinster flanker Josh VDF to earn 100th cap against Dragons

JoeNa Connacht — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 11:29:09 +0000

The Leinster Rugby team to take on Dragons on Sunday at Rodney Parade has been named by head coach Leo Cullen (KO 2 pm – live on RTÉ, Premier Sports, S4C, URC TV and RTÉ Radio).

There are only a few changes to the team that accounted for the Vodacom Bulls in the Round 1 fixture last weekend at Aviva Stadium.

However, there are several milestone moments for players on Sunday with Josh van der Flier winning his 100th cap for the province and lock James Ryan captaining the club for the first time.

Academy back Rob Russell is also set to make his debut for the province after being named on the wing.

Russell was a part of Noel McNamara’s 2019 U-20 Grand Slam-winning side while he’s also been involved in successful Celtic Cup teams with the province.

There is also a welcome competitive return from long-term injury for a number of players involved.

It’s a slightly changed back three for Cullen this week with Hugo Keenan at full-back, Russell on the right and Rory O’Loughlin on the left.

There is a change in the centre with Conor O’Brien back from injury and starting for Leinster for the first time since February 2020.

Outside O’Brien will be Garry Ringrose, who played alongside Ciaran Frawley in midfield against the Vodacom Bulls.

There is a new pair at half-back with Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne starting their first games of the season.

There is no change to Cullen’s front row with Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Michael Ala’alatoa again selected and behind them it’s also the same lock combination of Ross Molony and first-time captain Ryan.

Ryan made his Leinster debut away to Dragons in September 2017 in the first game of the double-winning season and the 25-year-old will now lead Leinster Rugby for the first time at the same venue.

There is only one change to the back row with Max Deegan coming in at No 8 for the injured Caelan Doris – Deegan will make his first competitive start since August 2020.

Elsewhere, it’s as you were with Rhys Ruddock and Josh van der Flier on the flanks.

Wicklow man van der Flier will make his 100th appearance for Leinster on Sunday. He made his debut in October 2014 against Zebre and has since scored 12 tries in 99 appearances for his province.

He will be the fifth centurion on the field against the Welsh side, after Byrne, Gibson-Park, Molony and Ruddock.

On the bench there is a return to Leinster colours for recent signing Nick McCarthy, while Dan Leavy is another to hopefully make a welcome return from injury should he be introduced.

Cian Healy and James are the two centurions on the bench.

Injury updates for the squad ahead of their clash with Dragons can be seen here.

Leinster Squad v Dragons

15. Hugo Keenan (31)
14. Rob Russell (0)
13. Garry Ringrose (87)
12. Conor O’Brien (23)
11. Rory O’Loughlin (88)
10. Ross Byrne (105)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (102)

1. Andrew Porter (78)
2. Dan Sheehan (14)
3. Michael Ala’alatoa (1)
4. Ross Molony (117)
5. James Ryan (51) CAPTAIN
6. Rhys Ruddock (189)
7. Josh van der Flier (99)
8. Max Deegan (66)

Replacements:

16. James Tracy (130)
17. Ed Byrne (71)
18. Cian Healy (232)
19. Ryan Baird (28)
20. Dan Leavy (72)
21. Nick McCarthy (36)
22. Ciarán Frawley (36)
23. Scott Penny (29)

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