Luke McGrath will captain defending champions Leinster for their United Rugby Championships opener away to the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday night (6pm Irish lime, live on TG4 and Premier Sports 1).
Sam Prendergast partners McGrath in the halfbacks, with Ciarán Frawley and Robbie Henshaw forming a partnership in midfield. Jordan Larmour and Tommy O’Brien have been named on the wings with Jimmy O’Brien given the nod at fullback.
In the pack, Jack Boyle and Rabah Slimani will scrum down either side of Gus McCarthy, while Diarmuid Mangan and Brian Deeny are named in the secondrow.
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Ryan Baird takes the number six shirt, with Scott Penny named at openside flanker and James Culhane completing the line up at number eight.
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Academy prop Andrew Sparrow is in line to make his senior debut off the bench. Sparrow and Paddy McCarthy are the props in reserve with John McKee providing cover at hooker, while Max Deegan and Will Connors round out the forward replacements. Harry Byrne, who has returned from his loan spell with Bristol Bears, joins Fintan Gunne and Hugh Cooney in providing the reinforcements for the backline.
Iain Henderson leads Ulster into action on the opening night as they welcome the Dragons to the newly named Affidea Stadium in Belfast (8.05pm kick-off, Premier Sports 1).
James Hume will earn his 100th Ulster cap on the night and he starts in midfield alongside Stuart McCloskey, with Jacob Stockdale on the left wing and Zac Ward on the right. Michael Lowry starts at fullback, while Jack Murphy has been named at outhalf, with Nathan Doak at scrumhalf.
Up front, Callum Reid starts at loosehead prop, with Rob Herring at hooker and Tom O’Toole starting at tighthead. Henderson is joined by Harry Sheridan in the secondrow, while Cormac Izuchukwu and Nick Timoney are the flankers and David McCann starts at number eight.
South African backrower Juarno Augustus is in line to make his Ulster debut off the bench after signing from Northampton Saints in the summer. Prop Sam Crean is also named on the bench after making a permanent move from Saracens to the province this summer.
LEINSTER (v Stormers): Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Ciarán Frawley, Jordan Larmour; Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath (capt); Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani; Diarmuid Mangan, Brian Deeny; Ryan Baird, Scott Penny, James Culhane.
Replacements: John McKee, Paddy McCarthy, Andrew Sparrow, Max Deegan, Will Connors, Fintan Gunne, Harry Byrne, Hugh Cooney.
ULSTER (v Dragons): Michael Lowry; Zac Ward, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Callum Reid, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole; Iain Henderson (capt), Harry Sheridan; Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney, David McCann.
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Sam Crean, Scott Wilson, Matthew Dalton, Juarno Augustus, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Ben Carson.
