Johnny Sexton to play first game in five months as Leinster and Connacht name teams for friendlies

Johnny Sexton during the Leinster Rugby training session at UCD in Dublin. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Johnny Sexton will return to action five months after suffering a head injury in the Champions Cup quarter-final when he leads a largely experimental Leinster side in their pre-season friendly with Harlequins on Friday (Aviva, 7pm) Head coach Leo Cullen named a side which includes eight Academy players, with four of those yet to play for the senior team.

As well as Sexton, Conor O'Brien and Max Deegan also return from injuries that ended last season prematurely.