Leo Cullen has named a potential five Leinster European debutatns as their meeting with Montpellier remains up in the air.
Naas man Jamie Osborne is in-line for one of those debuts at centre. Jimmy O'Brien starts at full back, with James Lowe and Adam Byrne selected on the wings.
After being out with a long-term injury, it will be Byrne's first start in Europe since January 2019. In the centre Ciarán Frawley will partner 20-year-old Osborne, with Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne the half-backs.
In the pack Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher and Andrew Porter are the front row selected with Ryan Baird and James Ryan behind them. It will by Ryan's first outing as captain of the side in Europe.
Max Deegan, Dan Leavy and Jack Conan are named in the back row with Conan making a welcome return from a quad injury and Leavy making his first European start in just over three years.
On the bench, there are a number of players in line for European debuts. Vakh Abdaladze, Jack Dunne, Academy scrumhalf Cormac Foley and Scott Penny, are all in line to play their first games in the Heineken Champions Cup.
The Leinster Rugby squad and staff will leave Dublin airport tomorrow morning, Friday, ahead of the late evening kick-off in France.
Leinster
- Jimmy O'Brien
- Adam Byrne
- Jamie Osborne
- Ciarán Frawley
- James Lowe
- Ross Byrne
- Jamison Gibson-Park
- Cian Healy
- Rónan Kelleher
- Andrew Porter
- Ryan Baird
- James Ryan (C)
- Max Deegan
- Dan Leavy
- Jack Conan
Replacements
- Dan Sheehan
- Ed Byrne
- Vakh Abdaladze
- Devin Toner
- Jack Dunne
- Cormac Foley
- Tommy O'Brien
- Scott Penny
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
