Pro 12 Team News: Leinster have made eight personnel changes and one positional to the side that beat Benetton Treviso last weekend ahead of their Pro 12 meeting with Cardiff Blues at the RDS tomorrow (8.05pm).
In the backline Luke Fitzgerald makes way for the return of fullback Isa Nacewa, while Fergus McFadden moves from the wing to inside centre as Gordon D’Arcy makes way for Dave Kearney.
McFadden, who boasted a 100 per cent kicking record against Treviso, will operate alongside form-man Eoin O’Malley, while in the halfbacks Ian Madigan is retained but will be partnered by Isaac Boss instead of Eoin Reddan.
The pack sees the return of captain Leo Cullen who, along with Steven Sykes, replace locks Damien Browne and Devin Toner. In the frontrow, Richardt Strauss and Nathan white are called upon to work with Cian Healy, while Seán O’Brien replaces former Old Belvedere number eight Leo Auva’a.
A strong bench includes Jonathan Sexton, Reddan, Seán Cronin and Rob Kearney.
Ulsterhave made five changes for their clash with Llanelli Scarletsat Ravenhill (7.05pm).
Four of those come in the pack where Stephen Ferris, Rory Best, John Afoa and Chris Henry are set to start after a week off for last weekend’s defeat in Glasgow.
Best’s inclusion at hooker sees Andi Kyriacou drop out of thesquad, as Nigel Brady retains his place on the bench. Ferris and Henry join Pedrie Wannenburg in an experienced backrow.
Brian McLaughlin has Afoa back in harness after the prop returned from New Zealand where he was on best-man duty for Kiwi teammate Jerome Kaino. He will replace Declan Fitzpatrick, who is suffering from a neck injury sustained against the Warriors.
Craig Gilroy is to start on the left wing in place of Scottish international Simon Danielli, but Ulster fans will have to wait to see new South African signing Stefan Terblanche, who has been unavailable thus far because of visa complications.
However, Ruan Pienaar is named on the bench, despite not being in the preliminary squad. He is progressing well after a hamstring injury picked up against tomorrow's opponents in October.
Connachtcoach Eric Elwood will give new signing Kyle Tonetti his first taste of action for the province when they host Trevisotomorrow (7.30pm). His side shows seven changes to the side that lost to Ospreys last week.
Ethienne Reynecke and Ronan Loughney return to the frontrow to join , they join Brett Wilkinson, bolstered by a secondrow combination of Michael Swift and George Naoupu.
Dave Gannon, John Muldoon and Ray Ofisa, who earns his 100th cap for Connacht, complete the backline.
Frank Murphy and Niall O'Connor make for a halfback pairing, while Dave McSharry joins former Sale Sharks flyer Tonetti as the other half of that central pairing.
Mark McCrea will start on the wing, with Tiernan O’Halloran opposite him and captain Gavin Duffy after fullback.
Trevisocoach Franco Smith has returned Ludovico Nitoglia to fullback, while Andrea Pratichetti is set to make his first appearance of the season together with Ezio Galon at centre.
Leinster: I Nacewa; D Kearney, E O'Malley, F McFadden, F Carr; I Madigan, I Boss; C Healy, R Strauss, N White; L Cullen (capt), S Sykes; R Ruddock, S Jennings, S O'Brien. Replacements: S Cronin, H van der Merwe, M Ross, D Browne, L Auva'a, E Reddan, J Sexton, R Kearney.
Ulster: A D'Arcy; A Trimble, D Cave, N Spence, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, P Marshall; T Court, R Best, J Afoa, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, S Ferris, C Henry, P Wannenburg. Replacements: N Brady, P McAllister, A Macklin, L Stevenson, R Diack, R Pienaar, P Jackson, I Whitten
Connacht: G Duffy (capt); M McCrea, K Tonetti, D McSharry, T O'Halloran; N O'Connor, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, E Reynecke, R Loughney; M Swift, G Naoupu; D Gannon, J Muldoon, R Ofisa. Replacements: A Flavin, D Buckley, R Ah You, M Kearney, E Grace, P O'Donohoe, M Jarvis, F Vainikolo
BenettonTreviso: L Nitoglia; T Iannone, E Galon, A Pratichetti, B Williams; W De Waal, F Semenzato: M Rizzo (cap), F Sbaraglini, I Fernandez Rouyet; F Minto, B Vermaak; M Vosawai, P Derbyshire, M Filippucci. Replacements: D Vidal, M Muccignat, L Cittadini, C Van Zyl, V Bernabo, G Padro, E Gori, K Burton
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