Aidan McCullen will replace the injured Eric Miller in the Leinster back-row tonight as the Heineken campaign gets underway at Donnybrook.
Coach Matt Williams had delayed naminga replacement for Miller, who broke a bone in his hand last weekend, as he weighed up his options ahead of the visit of Bristol Shoguns.
McCullen, Ben Gissing and Des Dillon had been in contention and McCullen shaded a tight decision with Williams favouring his Heineken Cup experience and effectiveness at the line-out.
Des Dillon wins a place on the replacements bench.
Leinster: G Dempsey; D Hickie, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, G D'Arcy; C Warner, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, P Wallace, L Cullen, M O'Kelly, A McCullen, V Costello, K Gleeson.
Replacements: P Smyth, E Byrne, A Kearney, D Dillon, B O'Riordan, And two more.
Bristol: S Drahm; D Rees, M Shaw, D Gibson, P Christophers; F Contepomi, A Pichot; D Crompton, S Nelson, E Bergamaschi, G Archer (capt), A Brown, C Short, B Sturnham, M Lipman.
Replacements: P Richards, M Carrington, A Higgins, C Rowland, P Johnstone, A Sheridan/S Morgan, R Oakley.