Garry Ringrose makes return for Leinster in Loftus Versfeld semi-final

Garry Ringrose during a Leinster Rugby captain's rub. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Garry Ringrose is finally poised to make his first appearance since the Six Nations after being named in the Leinster side that will take on the Bulls in a URC semi-final at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The Ireland centre last played for Leinster in January when he injured a shoulder against Leicester Tigers. His only outing since was off the bench against Scotland and he has been struggling to get the green light in recent weeks.

He returns to the midfield with Robbie Henshaw switching from outside to inside-centre and Jamie Osborne moving to a bench which shows a 5/3 split with Ciaran Frawley again providing back-up to Ross Byrne at ten.

Ringrose is the only change from the side that beat Ulster in last week’s quarter-final.

It is, with the exception of Hugo Keenan who has committed to the Ireland sevens squad for the Olympics in Paris, a full bore Leinster side as they go in chase of their first piece of silverware in three seasons.

Leo Cullen has named 21 internationals for the tie against a Bulls team that is without a handful of key players in Marcell Coetzee, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie and Sebastian De Klerk. Canan Moodie has recovered from injury to start in the back row.

Vodacom Bulls: Willie Le Roux; Sergeal Petersen, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Devon Williams; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw; Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje; Marco Van Staden, Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom 

Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nizaam Carr, Keagan Johannes, Chris Smith, Cornel Smit.

Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley, Jamie Osborne.

Referee: S Grove-White (SRU).