Leinster at full strength for Cardiff showdown
Leo Cullen captains a familiar looking Leinster team to face the Cardiff Blues in Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter final in the Aviva Stadium (5.45pm).
Cullen partners Brad Thorn at second row, with Sean O’Brien – who will make his 25th Heineken Cup appearance - coming into the back-row alongside Kevin McLaughlin and number eight Jamie Heaslip.
The backline is unchanged with Eoin Reddan partnering Jonathan Sexton – who has amassed 300 points in 27 European appearances to date - at half back.
Fellow Ireland international Gordon D’Arcy forms the midfield partnership with Brian O’Driscoll for the 68th time in Leinster colours, while Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney and Isa Nacewa complete the back three.
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.
Leinster (v. Cardiff Blues): R Kearney; I Nacewa, B O’Driscoll, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross; L Cullen (c), B Thorn, K McLaughlin, S O’Brein, J Heaslip.
Replacements: S Cronin, H van der Merwe, N White, D Toner, S Jennings, I Boss, I Madigan, F McFadden.
