Rugby:The Leinster team to face the Cardiff Blues in Saturday's Heineken Cup Quarter Final in the Aviva Stadium (KO: 5.45pm) shows a number of changes to the team that beat Munster 18-9 last weekend.

Leo Cullen captains the side with All Black World Cup winner, Brad Thorn beside him in the second row and Devin Toner starting on the bench.

Sean O’Brien, who will make his 25th Heineken Cup appearance, comes into the back-row at openside alongside Kevin McLaughlin on the blindside and number eight Jamie Heaslip.

The backline is unchanged with scrumhalf Eoin Reddan preferred to Isaac Boss and partnering Jonathan Sexton. The Leinster outhalf, Sexton, has now amassed 300 points in 27 European appearances.

Fellow Ireland international Gordon D’Arcy forms a venerable midfield partnership with the fit again Brian O’Driscoll for the 68th time in Leinster colours, while Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney and Isa Nacewa complete a pacy back three.

This week coach Joe Schmidt said that Leinster would try to sit down after this weekend and sort out Fitzgerald’s contractual difficulties. He has yet to resign a contract with the province for next season.

South African loose-head prop Heinke van der Merwe is named alongside five Ireland internationals on the bench including the likes of Sean Cronin, Shane Jennings and Fergus McFadden.

Ticket sales for Saturday’s game in Aviva Stadium are fast approaching the 50,000 mark.

Leinster:R Kearney: I Nacewa, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross, L Cullen, B Thorn, K McLaughlin, S O'Brien, J Heaslip. Replacements – S Cronin. H van der Merwe, N White, D Toner, S Jennings, I Boss, I Madigan, F McFadden