O’Driscoll to start for Leinster

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt has today named Brian O’Driscoll in his starting line-up for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup final against Northampton at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (kick-off 5pm).

Leo Cullen leads a Leinster team which is unchanged from the side that defeated Toulouse 32-23 in the semi-final at the Aviva Stadium.

Cullen, who lines up alongside Scotland’s Nathan Hines at second row, is one of six Ireland internationals in a pack which includes Sean O'Brien, who has scored four tries to date in this year's competition.

O’Brien starts in the backrow alongside Kevin McLaughlin and No 8 Jamie Heaslip.

Meanwhile, Cian Healy and Mike Ross are named alongside Richardt Strauss in the front row.

O'Driscoll (who has scored 30 tries in the Heineken Cup) will partner Gordon D'Arcy at centre with Fergus McFadden providing cover from the bench.

Jonathan Sexton, the tournament’s top points scorer with 110 points to date, partners Eoin Reddan at centre with Luke Fitzgerald, Shane Horgan and Isa Nacewa completing the backline.

Shane Jennings’ inclusion is the only change to the 23-man panel from the meeting with Toulouse for what will be the province’s second Heineken Cup Final in three years.

Leinster: Isa Nacewa; Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross; Leo Cullen (C), Nathan Hines; Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Jason Harris-Wright, Heinke van der Merwe, Stan Wright, Devin Toner, Shane Jennings, Isaac Boss, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden.