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No Frawley as Leinster and Leicester name teams for Champions Cup headliner
By Ian Cameron
Ciaran Frawley will miss Leinster’s Investec Champions Cup game with Leicester due to injury as Leo Cullen makes two changes to their team for this weekend’s mouthwatering encounter.
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Following their victory against Stade Francais, co-captain James Ryan replaces Jason Jenkins, while Harry Byrne steps in for the injured Frawley at fly-half.
Frawley picked up a rib injury during the Stade Francis game and failed to prove his fitness in time for the trip to Welford Road. The utility back is being tipped as a potential candidate for the vacant Ireland jersey.
Jordan Larmour, on the cusp of his 99th cap, joins Hugo Keenan and James Lowe in the back three, with the former also earning a spot in Ireland’s Six Nations squad.
The centre partnership of Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw remains intact, supported by Byrne and Jamison Gibson-Park. The pack sees Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, and Dan Sheehan in the front row, with Ryan partnering Joe McCarthy. The team is rounded out by Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, and Caelan Doris, with Ross Molony poised for his first European game of the season among the replacements.
Meanwhile, Leister have named a powerful side to welcome the Irish giants to the midlands. Ollie Hassell-Collins and Hanro Liebenberg return from injury to start, alongside Handré Pollard and Jasper Wiese. Round two’s standout, Archie Vanes, joins the replacements, with fellow prop and Scotland call-up Will Hurd also named on the bench. It is also Matt Scott’s first start since round one of Investec Champions Cup.
LEINSTER: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Jordan Larmour, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 James Lowe, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 1 Andrew Porter, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Joe McCarthy, 5 James Ryan, 6 Ryan Baird, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Caelan Doris
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REPLACEMENTS: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Michael Ala’alatoa, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Sam Prendergast, 23 Tommy O’Brien
LEICESTER TIGERS: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Harry Simmons, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Tom Whiteley, 1 James Cronin, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Harry Wells, 5 Ollie Chessum, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Jasper Wiese
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Archie Vanes, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Sam Carter, 20 Kyle Hatherell, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Solomone Kata
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
