Van der Linde to start for Leinster

CJ van der Linde will start for the first time this season for Leinster against the Cardiff Blues in tomorrow's Magners League clash at the RDS (KO: 6.30pm).

Malcolm O'Kelly and Leo Cullen will renew their second row partnership as Nathan Hines settles for a place on the bench.

Other than that, it is as close to full-strength as possible with the exception of the absence of Robert Kearney from the squad.

LEINSTER (v Cardiff Blues):

15: Isa Nacewa

14: Shane Horgan

13: Brian O’Driscoll

12: Gordon D’Arcy

11: Luke Fitzgerald

10: Jonathan Sexton

9: Eoin Reddan

1: Cian Healy

2: John Fogarty

3: CJ van der Linde

4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN

5: Malcolm O’Kelly

6: Kevin McLaughlin

7: Sean O’Brien

8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Bernard Jackman

17: Mike Ross

18: Nathan Hines

19: Stephen Keogh

20: Simon Keogh

21: Shaun Berne

22: Girvan Dempsey.