Cian Healy set to become Leinster's most capped player

The hooker will make his 281st appearance for the province at home to the Dragons.

STILL GOING: Cian Healy during Leinster rugby squad training at UCD in Dublin. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Cian Healy will take over the mantle as Leinster’s most capped player when he makes his 281st appearance for the province at home to the Dragons in the second round of URC ties on Friday night.

The veteran hooker matched Devin Toner’s total during last Friday’s URC-opener away to Edinburgh. The 36-year old, who also has 131 Irish caps, made his debut against the now-defunct Border Reivers at a Donnybrook home which Leinster have long outgrown.

As with last week, Leo Cullen has gone for a mix of youth and experience this time with the likes of Jordan Larmour, Jimmy O’Brien, Ross Byrne and Luke McGrath bringing their layers of knowledge to the back line at the Aviva Stadium.

Healy, James Ryan and a strong back row of Max Deegan, Will Connors and Jack Conan will do similar up front, and there is plenty more experience in reserve as Leinster continue the process of bringing front-line players back in to play.

Academy players Charlie Tector and Gus McCarthy are again named in the starting XV, the former on the back of news that he will be travelling to South Africa with the Emerging Ireland squad the very next day.

Two more Academy players, Fintan Gunne and Aitzol King, have been drafted in as replacements.

Leinster (v Dragons): J Osborne; J Larmour, L Turner, C Tector, J O’Brien ; R Byrne, L McGrath; C Healy, G McCarthy, T Clarkson; B Deeny, J Ryan; M Deegan, W Connors, J Conan.

Replacements: L Barron, M Milne, R Slimani, J McCarthy, J van der Flier, F Gunne, H Byrne, A King.