After a thrilling start to the Play-Offs last week, just four teams now remain. Leinster will bid to make the URC Grand Final for the first time when they take on the defending champions, Glasgow Warriors, at 14:45 (SA Time) in the first of the two URC semi-finals.
Leinster made three changes to the starting Leinster XV from last weekend’s 33-21 win over Scarlets in the Quarter-Finals.
Jimmy O’Brien shifts to full-back as Tommy O’Brien comes in on the wing, while Scott Penny has been named at openside flanker and Dan Sheehan gets the nod at hooker.
Jack Conan captains the side once more, with Ryan Baird taking the six shirt alongside Penny in the back row.
Joe McCarthy and James Ryan continue their partnership in the engine room, while Andrew Porter and Thomas Clarkson will line up on either side of Sheehan in the scrum.
Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast are the halfbacks, with Jamie Osborne and Jordie Barrett continuing in the centres.
Having scored against Scarlets last weekend, James Lowe is again selected on the left wing and moves within two tries of equalling Shane Horgan’s club record of 69 tries for Leinster.
Rónan Kelleher is joined by Jack Boyle and Rabah Slimani on the bench, with Max Deegan and BKT URC Players’ Player of the Season RG Snyman providing reinforcements in reserve.
Luke McGrath and Ciarán Frawley are also named among the replacements alongside Ross Byrne, who will be making his final appearance at Aviva Stadium for Leinster ahead of his move to Gloucester this summer after a decade of service.
The 22-times capped Ireland international has scored 1,194 points in 184 appearances in blue to date and will hope to add to that total on Saturday.
Leinster Senior Coach Jacques Nienaber said: "It's a privilege for any team to be involved in the knockout stages. It's a privilege for us to be testing ourselves against Glasgow this weekend, the reigning champions, who obviously understand how to play knockout games if you look at what they did last year. It's a privilege to test ourselves against a quality side like that."
A 36-18 triumph over the DHL Stormers last time out earned Glasgow the right to continue their title defence, with the Warriors set for their third visit to Dublin in the space of as many months.
Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Franco Smith has made two changes to the starting XV that will run out.
Fin Richardson comes into the starting lineup at tight-head, the former Scotland U20 prop continuing an impressive debut campaign in Glasgow colours by lining up alongside Jamie Bhatti and Gregor Hiddleston in the front-row.
Alex Samuel and Scott Cummings continue as the partnership in the second row, having combined for three lineout steals in last Friday’s win over the Stormers at Scotstoun.
Euan Ferrie and Rory Darge are once more selected on the flanks after combining superbly for Glasgow’s opening try last time out, with Henco Venter packing down at number eight.
Behind the scrum, Adam Hastings is named at fly-half in the only change to the back-line. The fly-half, who was at the heart of the action in the club’s 2019 win over Leinster at the RDS, is joined by George Horne in the half-backs.
Tom Jordan moves to inside centre to accommodate the inclusion of Hastings, partnering Sione Tuipulotu in the midfield for tomorrow afternoon’s clash.
The back-three is unchanged, meaning Kyle Rowe – scorer of a brace of tries last weekend – and captain Kyle Steyn line up either side of full-back, Josh McKay.
Rory Sutherland is set for his first outing in Glasgow Warriors colours since March’s victory over the Emirates Lions, after the 2021 British & Irish Lion was named amongst the replacements.
Johnny Matthews and Sam Talakai join Sutherland as the front-row cover, whilst Max Williamson continues in the number 19 jersey.
Jack Mann and Macenzzie Duncan each retain their places in the matchday 23, after both men came off the bench last Friday night to make their first appearance in a BKT URC playoff match.
The bench is rounded out by Stafford McDowall and Jamie Dobie, the former rotating to the replacements after starting in the centres last time out.
Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Franco Smith said: “Leinster are the standard setters in this competition. They finished top of the standings for a reason and have consistently outperformed teams across the course of this season while showing their strength in depth. It is a challenge that we know we will need to be at our best to meet, and the players are focused on the task at hand. Training this week has been sharp and competitive, with every player working hard for each other to put this squad in the best possible position for tomorrow afternoon.”
Teams
Leinster Rugby: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Jamie Osborne, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan (c), 7 Scott Penny, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter. Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Jack Boyle, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Ciarán Frawley.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Steyn (captain), 13 Sione Tuipulotu, 12 Tom Jordan, 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 George Horne, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Alex Samuel, 3 Fin Richardson, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Jamie Bhatti. Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Max Williamson, 20 Jack Mann, 21 Macenzzie Duncan, 22 Stafford McDowall, 23 Jamie Dobie.