Leo Cullen stands by Leinster selection call

Leo Cullen has rejected the accusation he has disrespected the Guinness PRO12 as a competition by leaving Ireland internationals Johnny Sexton and Jamie Heaslip out of the Leinster team to face Edinburgh tonight.

The Leinster coach is seeking to finish off the season with three wins from three to ensure the province a home semi-final, but the challenge posed by the Scots will have to be completed without Sexton, Heaslip and Isa Nacewa, who are all rested. However, Rob Kearney has recovered from a hamstring injury and will make only his seventh start of the season for his province.

“I think we’ve got 15 star players starting. That would be my message,” Cullen replied to a reporter yesterday the province’s training base at UCD. “This is the best team to represent Leinster this weekend. These are 15 star players in my eyes.” Regarding the well-worn debate about where the PRO12 ranks in comparisons to its English and French counterparts, the Premiership and the Top 14, Cullen suggested it was a futile effort to compare them given the different make-ups of the other competitions.