Leinster v Connacht: Teams
Kevin McLaughlin will make his first start this season in Leinster's Magners League clash with Connacht.
Last Updated: 31/12/10 5:51pm
Kevin McLaughlin will make his first start this season in Leinster's Magners League clash with Connacht on New Year's Day.
McLaughlin, together with Sean O'Brien and Shane Jennings, make up an all-Ireland back-row for Saturday's match at the RDS.
Nathan Hines lines up alongside fellow lock Devin Toner and Heinke van der Merwe starts in the front row with Richardt Strauss and Clint Newland.
Andrew Conway starts on the right wing in a back three which also includes Dave Kearney and Isa Nacewa.
Eoin O'Malley takes his place in the midfield with Fergus McFadden while Paul O'Donohoe links up with Shaun Berne at half-back.
Stephen Keogh joins the likes of Eoin Reddan and Mike Ross on a replacements' bench which contains plenty of youth and experience.
Opportunity
Meanwhile, Brett Wilkinson returns from injury for Connacht and replaces Rob Sweeney in the front row.
Hooker Adrian Flavin replaces Sean Cronin, who is being rested as part of the IRFU Player Welfare Management Programme.
Flavin, who has played U19, U21 and for Ireland A, has been capped 90 times for Connacht since joining from London Irish in 2006.
Eoin McKeon replaces the injured Ezra Taylor at number eight and will look to make the most of the opportunity ,with John Muldoon also ruled out of contention with a fractured forearm.
Miah Nikora has recovered from the illness that ruled him out of last weekend's clash with Munster and starts on the opposite wing to Brian Tuohy, while Ian Keatley moves to outside centre.
Connacht Academy graduate Eoin Griffin returns after a hand injury sidelined the 20-year-old winger during Connacht's game against Edinburgh.
Griffin has played for Ireland U19 and U20 and has 5 caps for Connacht.
The side will be captained by centre Keith Matthews, who is deputising for the injured Muldoon for the second game in succession.
Leinster: 15 Isa Nacewa, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Eoin O'Malley, 12 Fergus McFadden, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Shaun Berne, 9 PaulO'Donohoe, 8 Sean O'Brien, 7 Shane Jennings (c), 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Nathan Hines, 3 Clint Newland,2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Tom Sexton, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Mike Ross, 19 Ed O'Donoghue, 20 Stephen Keogh 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Niall Morris.
Connacht:15 Troy Nathan, 14 Eoin Griffin, 13 Ian Keatley, 12 Keith Matthews (C), 11 Brian Tuohy, 10 Miah Nikora, 9 Cillian Willis, 8 Eoin McKeon, 7 Johnny O'Connor, 6 Andrew Browne, 5 Michael McCarthy, 4 Michael Swift, 3 Jamie Hagan, 2 Adrian Flavin, 1 Brett Wilkinson.
Replacements: 16 Dermot Murphy, 17 Rodney Ah You, 18 Dylan Rogers, 19 Bernie Upton, 20 Shane Conneely, 21 Frank Murphy, 22 Niva Ta'auso, 23 Fionn Carr.