Whitaker to lead Leinster against Reds

Scrumhalf Chris Whitaker will captain Leinster against the Queensland Reds tomorrow evening as Brian O'Driscoll begins life without…

Scrumhalf Chris Whitaker will captain Leinster against the Queensland Reds tomorrow evening as Brian O'Driscoll begins life without the armband but in the familiar position of outside centre.

O'Driscoll, who stood down as captain this week, will be partnered by Argentinean Felipe Contepomi in the centre of a strong looking backline.

New recruit Isa Nacewa starts at fullback, with Shane Horgan and Rob Kearney on either wing and Jonathan Sexton forming a halfback partnership with Whitaker.

The latter will lead the team out in the absence of the newly-appointed skipper Leo Cullen, who is not even among the 15 replacements named for the Donnybrook game.

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Locks Malcolm O'Kelly and Devin Toner will start instead, with Ronan McCormack and Stephen Knoop on either side of Bernard Jackman in the frontrow.

Cameron Jowitt and Shane Jennings are named as flankers by Michael Cheika and Jamie Heaslip is number eight.

With a strong bench Cheika is likely to make plenty of changes throughout the evening.

LEINSTER: Isa Nacewa; Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll, Felipe Contepomi, Rob Kearney; Jonathan Sexton, Chris Whitaker (capt); Ronan McCormack, Bernard Jackman, Stephen Knoop; Malcolm O'Kelly, Devin Toner; Cameron Jowitt, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS FROM: Cian Healy, John Fogarty, Brian Blaney, Trevor Hogan, Sean O'Brien, Stephen Keogh, Kevin McLaughlin, Chris Keane, Paul O'Donohoe, Fergus McFadden, Luke Fitzgerald, Eoin O'Malley, Gary Brown, Simon Keogh, Girvan Dempsey