Team news: Kieran Marmion back from injury as Irish internationals return to provinces

Fri, 15 Feb, 2019 - 12:44

Digital Desk staff

Irish stars have returned to the Connacht and Leinster teams for their PRO14 matches tomorrow.

Ultan Dillane, Caolin Blade, Jack Carty and Tom Farrell will line-out for Connacht after their Ireland call-ups.

Jarrad Butler captains the team for the game against the Cheetahs at the Sportsground.

Blade and Carty line-up at scrum- and out-half respectively, with Farrell joined by Tom Daly in the centre.

Kieran Marmion is named on the bench, after being out of action since undergoing ankle surgery since starting Ireland's win over the All Blacks in November.

CONNACHT TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Toyota Cheetahs, Guinness PRO14, The Sportsground, Saturday February 16th, kick-off 5.30pm):

15. Darragh Leader 14. Cian Kelleher 13. Tom Farrell 12. Tom Daly 11. Stephen Fitzgerald 10. Jack Carty 9. Caolin Blade 1. Denis Buckley 2. Tom McCartney 3. Finlay Bealham 4. Ultan Dillane 5. James Cannon 6. Eoin McKeon 7. Colby Fainga’a 8. Jarrad Butler (Capt)

Replacements: 16. Dave Heffernan 17. Peter McCabe 18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy 19. Cillian Gallagher 20. Paul Boyle 21. Kieran Marmion 22. Conor Fitzgerald 23. Kyle Godwin

Andrew Porter returns from international duty to join a Leinster front-row of Jack McGrath and James Tracy for their game away to Michael Bradley's Zebre. Scott Fardy captains the team from the second-row.

There are opportunities to impress for Caelan Doris and Josh Murphy in the back-row.

Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne team up in the half-back slots, Conor O'Brien and Rory O'Loughlin make-up the centre combination, and Dave Kearney, Adam Byrne and Barry Daly form the back-three.

Academy prospect Jack Dunne is in line to make his debut if called on from the bench.

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Dave Kearney (130)

14. Adam Byrne (48)

13. Rory O’Loughlin (55)

12. Conor O’Brien (12)

11. Barry Daly (30)

10. Ross Byrne (62)

9. Jamison Gibson-Park (66)

1. Jack McGrath (140)

2. James Tracy (84)

3. Andrew Porter (45)