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United Rugby Championship

Prendergast and Henshaw start as Leinster make 10 changes

By Ian Cameron

26 days ago

Sam Prendergast during a Leinster Rugby captain's run at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Sam Prendergast and Robbie Henshaw return to Leinster’s starting line-up for their United Rugby Championship clash against the Emirates Lions at Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

Prendergast – fresh from three appearances for Emerging Ireland – takes the number ten jersey alongside Luke McGrath at scrum-half.

Meanwhile Henshaw makes his first appearance of the season after recovering from injury. The Ireland centre slots into the midfield alongside Hugh Cooney, who earns his first start following a debut off the bench in last weekend’s 33-12 victory over Connacht.

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Louis Rees-Zammit – Walk the Talk trailer | RPTV

Wales try-scoring wizard Louis Rees-Zammit joins Jim Hamilton for an exclusive chat about life in the NFL. Watch the full show on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

Leinster Head Coach Leo Cullen has made ten changes to the starting XV, which includes three Academy players. Andrew Osborne and Gus McCarthy retain their places, while Cooney is promoted to the starting line-up. Hugo Keenan continues at full-back, with James Lowe returning on the wing, opposite Osborne.

In the pack, Gus McCarthy starts in the front row alongside Michael Milne and Rabah Slimani. Ryan Baird, making his first start of the season, partners last week’s Player of the Match, RG Snyman, in the second row. Caelan Doris, recently named Ireland captain for the autumn internationals, leads the side from number eight, with Max Deegan and Josh van der Flier on the flanks.

The replacements bench features Academy hooker Stephen Smyth, who retains his spot, along with props Andrew Porter and Thomas Clarkson. Brian Deeny and James Culhane complete the forward cover, while backs Ross Byrne, Charlie Tector and Cormac Foley are also named. Foley could make his first competitive appearance of the season.

Leinster: Hugo Keenan, Andrew Osborne, Hugh Cooney, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath, Michael Milne, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Ryan Baird, Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (Captain)

Replacements: Stephen Smyth, Andrew Porter, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, James Culhane, Cormac Foley, Ross Byrne, Charlie Tector

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Comments on RugbyPass

Bull Shark 1 minute ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I find Ben Smith to be an emotionally driven hysteric. So I question everything he writes.

He launched into the year about the ABs being back this year. For a "journalist" his opinions are based on the flavour of the month.

He's at least gone quiet about how sh1t the boks actually are. Although I suspect he's working on an outrageous article to that effect as we speak, to drive engagement after the end of the Autumn series, as we'll all be taking a break until the 6N.

22 Go to comments

Chesterfield 3 minutes ago

Michael Hooper reacts to Scott Barrett’s controversial late-game call

The dominant pack should be enforcing their superiority with maximum points and the psychological advantage of taking the lead.

You don’t get that by saying we’ll settle for three and try again you get it by scoring seven and trying again. Doesn’t come off every time?

No.

But if you’ve asserted dominance letting the opposition off and not trying to build a double score difference is wrong minded.

All blacks have traditionally played to build the unassailable lead not meekly win a single point victory.

11 Go to comments

Arnold 6 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

Aaah. Ben Smith. Ever the unbiased, objective rugby scribe......NOT.

Unable to give credit where it's due, other than for the ABs, especially when it comes to the Boks. His contempt for them is tangible. If you want to " Get Real" about these ABs Ben, consider when they last beat the Boks??? For us Bok fans, beating the ABs is the only true measure.

22 Go to comments

Reader76 24 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

"they [All Blacks] are nuggety and resourceful and don’t wilt. They are prepared to win the hard way, accumulating points by any means necessary."

Sounds like you're describing your arch-nemesis Ben 😁

22 Go to comments

CM 27 minutes ago

'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

This article only shows a part of SBs failings as England Coach. Firstly his reputation st Leicester was false, his SA and Welsh players won the matches not his coaching prowess. He has Wigglesworth as attack coach, someone who rarely attacked when playing. His player selection is awful, ignoring form players and sticking with failed internationals. He picks players that he knows and will be easy to manage for him. What on earth is Slade doing when even for Exeter he does not make line breaks with steppping, pace or guile, why on earth are Cole,George,Steward,Ford,Iseweke and a few other anywhere near the Team. Borthwick is awful as Head Coach of England.

1 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 29 minutes ago

Key Wallabies trio running hot a year after being left in cold

Good to be writing about a WB team that has beaten two 6 N sides in successive weeks, Brett.

Lolesio indeed is looking very comfortable under Schmidt coaching. He must feel as confident now as he was feeling in his spell at Toulon last year. It will be interesting to see how he does against Finn Russell.

30 Go to comments

J Marc 51 minutes ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Your unterstanding of the relation FFR LNR, is far better than the one in the article. For Meafou, there is an article on Skelton saying he is totally indispensable in the australian game.

In France they are often compared, and french game is often, but not always ,based on this kind of number 5. But , there are a lot of kind of play in France and in the world, and it's a blessing, because otherwise, the game would be boring.

On my other post ,which you replied, my intention was to explain with some historics facts the main importance, in France, of the championship.

But ,once again, I would prefer 3 games in NZ , with the better french players.

287 Go to comments

Ninjin 1 hour ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I said before the November tests that the AB's should go smash some Nh teams to find their feet and it seems that is just what they did bar France. Could have should have always sucks. Better to look to the future.

22 Go to comments