The Leinster team to face Stade Français in Friday night’s Amlin Challenge Cup final in the RDS (KO: 8pm) has been named…
Jamie Heaslip leads an experienced team for the visit of the French side. Sean Cronin starts at hooker in a pack which includes seven Irish qualified Irish forwards.
South African Quinn Roux partners Devin Toner at second row, with Rhys Ruddock coming into the back-row alongside the fit again Sean O’Brien (who is set to make his 32nd European appearance for Leinster) and number eight Heaslip, who will make his 62nd European appearance.
Fergus McFadden forms a midfield partnership with Bank of Ireland Players’ Player of the Year Ian Madigan who will make his 80th Leinster appearance and his ninth in Europe this season.
Isaac Boss will make his 75th Leinster appearance and he is paired at half-back alongside Jonathan Sexton, while Andrew Conway joins Isa Nacewa and Rob Kearney in the outside back slots.
Leo Cullen is included on an experienced bench which includes the likes of fellow international forwards Cian Healy, Shane Jennings and Richardt Strauss. Brian O’Driscoll has failed to recover from the injury that he sustained last weekend.
In addition to Sky Sports 2 who will show the game live on Friday, the Official Leinster Supporters Club (OLSC) can confirm the following international broadcast arrangements for supporters around the world.
UK & Ireland – Live on Sky Sports 2 from 8pm Friday
New Zealand – Live on The Rugby Channel from 7am Saturday
Middle East – Live on OSN Sports 2 from 10pm KSA Friday
USA – Live on Fox Soccer Plus from 3pm ET Friday
Asia – Live on Setanta Asia from 3am HKT Saturday
Canada – Live on Sportsnet World from 3pm ET Friday
Italy – Delayed on Sky Sports Italia 2 from 11pm CET Friday
Africa and Australia – No coverage
Audio – RTE Radio 1 and Newstalk FM (On radio, online and via smartphone app)
Our bases in London (Upstairs bar at the Porterhouse Covent Garden), Birmingham (Oh Velvet), New York (Madhatter Saloon) , Dubai (McGettigans) and Christchurch (Monza Sports Bar) will all be showing be showing the game LIVE.
For other rugby friendly locations around the world see the latest edition of Blue Planet
LEINSTER:
15: Rob Kearney
14: Andrew Conway
13: Fergus McFadden
12: Ian Madigan
11: Isa Nacewa
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Isaac Boss
1: Jack McGrath
2: Sean Cronin
3: Mike Ross
4: Quinn Roux
5: Devin Toner
6: Rhys Ruddock
7: Sean O’Brien
8: Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Richardt Strauss
17: Cian Healy
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Leo Cullen
20: Shane Jennings
21: John Cooney
22: Andrew Goodman
23: Dave Kearney
STADE FRANCAIS: Jérôme Porical; Jeremy Sinzelle, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Paul Williams, Hugo Bonneval; Jules Plisson, Julien Dupuy; Aled De Malmanche, Laurent Sempere, Rabah Slimani, Scott Lavalla, Gerhard Mostert, David Lyons, Pierre Rabadan, Sergio Parisse CAPTAIN
REPLACEMENTS: Remy Bonfils, Stanley Wright, Jeremy Becasseau, Anton van Zyl, Lei Tomiki, Waisea Nayacalevu, Julien Arias, Paul Warwick
REFEREE: Nigel Owens (WRU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Leighton Hodges (WRU), Ian Davies (WRU), 4th OFFICIAL: Neil Paterson (SRU), 5th OFFICIAL: Andrew McMenemy (SRU), TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)
