Preview

Leinster team to face Northampton Saints…

December 6, 2013 / client

The Leinster team to face Northampton Saints in Saturday evening’s Heineken Cup Round 3 clash in Franklin’s Gardens (KO: 6pm) has been named and coach Matt O’Connor has selected an all-Ireland XV to start…

In an experienced line-up, Brian O’Driscoll will resume his midfield partnership with Gordon D’Arcy with Ian Madigan continuing at out-half alongside Eoin Reddan who is in line to make his 89th Leinster appearance and his 307th career appearance (52 caps – Ireland, 125 – London Wasps, 29 – Munster and 12 – Connacht).

Luke Fitzgerald joins the Kearney brothers Dave and Rob in the back three.

Jamie Heaslip leads the team and the Naas man is named in the back-row alongside Sean O’Brien and Rhys Ruddock who will win his 69th Leinster cap in Northampton.

Devin Toner returns to the second row after his involvement with Ireland over the recent international series and will partner Mike McCarthy, with Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Mike Ross – who now lies six appearances shy of the century mark for Leinster – completing the pack.

Leo Cullen continues his recent return to action and is one of a further four Ireland internationals on the bench alongside Kiwi out-half Jimmy Gopperth and South African Zane Kirchner.

The Official Leinster Supporters Club (OLSC) can confirm the following international coverage of the game this weekend.

UK & Ireland – Live on Sky Sports 2 from 6pm Saturday
Australia – Live on Setanta Plus from 5am AEDT Sunday
Asia – Live on Eurosport Asia from 2am HKT Sunday
Canada – Live on Sportsnet World from 1pm Saturday
USA – Delayed on Fox Soccer Plus from 8.00pm ET Saturday
New Zealand – Delayed on The Rugby Channel from 2.30pm Sunday
Radio – Live on RTE Radio 1, On air, online and via app
Twitter- www.twitter.com/leinsterrugby