Harry Byrne handed No.10 jersey for Leinster La Rochelle test

TEN JERSEY: Harry Byrne has been handed the No.10 jersey for Leinster’s Investec Champions Cup opener away to champions La Rochelle this Sunday. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Harry Byrne has been handed the No.10 jersey for Leinster’s Investec Champions Cup opener away to champions La Rochelle this Sunday.

Just as notable are the omissions from the matchday squad of Tadhg Furlong and Jack Conan. Neither were named as injury concerns earlier in the week although Leo Cullen may give more detail on this at a lunchtime press conference.

Josh van der Flier, world player of the year for 2022 has been named on the bench with Will Connors preferred in the openside slot for a game against a side that has beaten Leinster in the last two deciders.

La Rochelle also won the first ever meeting between these two, at their Stade Marcel Deflandre three seasons ago when Covid prevented any fans from attending. The ground will be full to the brim this weekend.

Nine of the Leinster XV that started the loss to the Top 14 in the Aviva final last May do so again here with Byrne preferred at ten to Ciaran Frawley – who is named on the bench – in the absence of Ross Byrne to injury.

This will be Jacque Nienaber’s first game in his new role as Leinster senior coach but there is no 6/2 or 7/1 bench split with Ben Murphy, Frawley and Charlie Ngatai providing support for the back line from the sidelines.

The reserve options up front are considerable with Ronan Kelleher, the fit-again Cian Healy, Jason Jenkins and van der Flier joined by tighthead Thomas Clarkson while Michael Ala’alatoa fills the No.3 jersey normally worn by Furlong.

“France is a magical place to go to play in this competition,” said head coach Cullen. “There is nowhere tougher to go than the defending champions either. It’s a great test for the group. You want to test yourself against the best.

“We played at the stadium a few years ago during Covid, and there was no crowd. They have sold out 60 or 70 home games in a row now. It’ll be a great challenge.” 

Leinster: H Keenan; J Larmour, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J O’Brien; H Byrne, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, M Ala’alatoa; J McCarthy, J Ryan; R Baird, W Connors, C Doris.

Replacements: R Kelleher, C Healy, T Clarkson, J Jenkins, J van der Flier, B Murphy, C Frawley, C Ngatai.