Champions Cup semi-final: Leinster v Toulouse, Saturday, 3pm, Aviva Stadium (Live on RTÉ 2 & BT Sport 3)
Robbie Henshaw has become an unexpected addition to Leinster’s list of sidelined players for their Heineken Champions Cup semi-final on Saturday afternoon in the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 3pm) against Toulouse.
The Irish and Lions centre has been ruled out with an unspecified injury, so joining Johnny Sexton, James Lowe and Ronan Kelleher on the list of those deemed hors de combat for their biggest and toughest game of the season against the five-time winners.
On the plus side, Josh van der Flier has been named after missing the quarter-final victory over Leicester with the ankle injury he sustained in the Round of 16 win a week previously against Ulster.
Charlie Ngatai comes in for Henshaw after also recovering from injury, for what will be his first appearance since the January 7th game against the Ospreys.
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Jordan Larmour replaces Lowe, with Jimmy O’Brien switching from the right to the left wing, while van der Flier’s return means Ryan Baird, who has recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered against Leicester, drops to the bench, with Scott Penny missing out.
As for Toulouse, Ugo Mola has named the same starting which beat the Sharks 54-20 in the quarter-finals three weeks ago, and all of whom were rested for last weekend’s 19-10 defeat away to Stade Francais.
They have also boosted by the return of club captain Julien Marchand, albeit he has been named on the bench as a putative replacement for fellow French international hooker Peato Mauvaka.
Joshua Brennan has been ruled out due to the concussion he suffered last week, with South Africa’s Rynhardt Elstadt recalled to the replacements. Back-up scrum-half Paul Graou has also been recalled to the bench, where Mola has again gone with a 6-2 split.
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Charlie Ngatai, Jimmy O’Brien; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Ross Molony, James Ryan (capt); Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: John McKee, Cian Healy, Michael Ala’alatoa, Jason Jenkins, Ryan Baird, Luke McGrath, Harry Byrne, Ciarán Frawley.
TOULOUSE: Thomas Ramos; Juan Cruz Mallía, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Pita Ahki, Matthis Lebel; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (capt); Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka, Dorian Aldegheri; Richie Arnold, Emmanuel Meafou, Jack Willis, Thibaud Flament, Francois Cros.
Replacements: Julien Marchand, Rodrigue Neti, David Ainu’u, Alexandre Roumat, Rynhardt Elstadt, Alban Placines, Paul Graou, Arthur Retiere.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England).
