D'Arcy handed central role

Magners League team news: As anticipated, Gordon D'Arcy will play at inside centre when Leinster take on the Scarlets in Llanelli tomorrow evening. D'Arcy, a replacement in both Six Nations games to date, will benefit from further game time ahead of the England game next weekend.

Girvan Dempsey and Shane Horgan, both overlooked by Ireland coach Declan Kidney so far, will no doubt be straining at the leash to press their claims for inclusion at Croke Park while scrumhalf Paul O’Donohoe makes his first competitive start for the province.

Up front, Malcolm O’Kelly is another released from the Ireland squad while Shane Jennings has overcome the injury that saw him miss the A international against Scotland.

Munster will have to wait a little longer for Rua Tipoki’s comeback but coach Tony McGahan welcomes back Peter Stringer and Denis Leamy for the visit of Edinburgh to Musgrave Park. Keith Earls is named on the wing with Denis Hurley coming in at fullback.

After making his Ireland debut against Italy last weekend, Tom Court is straight back into action for Ulster when they travel to Wales to take on the Dragons at Rodney Parade on Sunday.

Court along with Simon Danielli and Carlo Del Fava were released from respective international duty. Scotland’s Danielli starts while Del Fava makes the bench.

Kieron Dawson will captain the Ulster side that also sees the return of, Ed O’Donoghue, Ryan Caldwell, Isaac Boss, Ian Humphreys, Darren Cave; Andrew Trimble from Ireland A duty.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has called upon Colm Rigney for their meeting with the Ospreys. Rigney comes into the backrow at number eight for the injured Michael McCarthy who broke a bone in his foot at training this week.

Leinster(v Scarlets): G Dempsey; S Horgan, F McFadden, G D'Arcy, I Nacewa; F Contepomi, P O'Donohoe; C Healy, B Blaney, S Wright; T Hogan, M O'Kelly; C Jowitt, S Jennings, R Elsom. Replacements: Bernard Jackman, Ronan McCormack, Devin Toner, Stephen Keogh, Simon Keogh, Jonathan Sexton, Gary Brown

Munster(v Edinburgh): D Hurley; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, C O'Boyle; P Warwick, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, D Fogarty, T Buckley; M O'Driscoll, D Ryan; D Leamy, N Ronan, N Williams. Replacements: M Essex, D Hurley, B Holland, A Quinlan, M Prendergast, J Manning, K Lewis.

Ulster(v Dragons): T Court, N Brady, B Botha, E O'Donoghue, R Caldwell, D Pollock, K Dawson (C), C Henry, I Boss, I Humphreys, S Danielli, P Steinmetz, D Cave, A Trimble, C Schifcofske. Replacements:S Phillpott, B Young, C Del Fava, M McCullough, C Willis, I Whitten, N O'Connor

Connacht(v Ospreys): G Duffy; F Carr, N Ta'auso, K Matthews, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; A Browne, A Farley; J Muldoon (C), R Ofisa, C Rigney. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, M Swift, D Gannon, K Campbell, A Dunne, T Nathan.