Dan Sheehan captains Leinster for Sale Sharks showdown

Caelan Doris and Andrew Porter miss out. 

Dan Sheehan of Leinster warms up. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen to take on Sale Sharks in the Champions Cup quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off, 5.30pm).

Dan Sheehan is set to captain the team, while Alex Usanov is due to make his first European start after a debut off the bench last week against Edinburgh.

James Ryan returns from injury to cover the second row alongside Joe McCarthy.

Jack Conan takes over at 8 with Ryan Baird at blindside flanker and Josh van der Flier at openside.

Alex Usanov and Tadhg Furlong will scrum down either side of Dan Sheehan.

Hugo Keenan continues at fullback, Rieko Ioane moving to the wing with Tommy O'Brien on the opposite side.

Jamie Osborne continues at 12 with Garry Ringrose returning from injury to join him at centre. Jamison Gibson-Park and Harry Byrne are named as the half-backs.

Rónan Kelleher alongside Jerry Cahir and Thomas Clarkson are the front row cover while Max Deegan and Scott Penny complete the forward reinforcements.

Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley, and Robbie Henshaw complete the matchday 23.

Leinster: H Keenan; T O’Brien, G Ringrose, J Osborne, R Ioane; H Byrne, J Gibson-Park; A Usanov, D Sheehan, T Furlong; J McCarthy, J Ryan; R Baird, J van der Flier, J Conan.

Replacement: R Kelleher, J Cahir, T Clarkson, M Deegan, S Penny, L McGrath, C Frawley, R Henshaw.

Sale: J Carpenter; T Roebuck, R du Preez, R Maasi‑White, T O’Flaherty; G Ford, G Warr; S McIntyre, E Caine, A.Opoku‑Fordjour; E van Rhyn, B Bamber; J Vermeulen, S. Dugdale, D. du Preez.

Replacements: A Longstaff, R McEachran, J Harper, R Logan, J Gilmore, D Hanson, M Louw, A Wills.

Connacht (Challenge Cup v Montpellier): S Gilbert; S Bolton, C Forde, B Aki, C Mullins; S Naughton, M Devine; B Bohan, D Tierney‑Martin, S Illo; J Joyce, D Murray; C Prendergast, S Hurley‑Langton, P Boyle.

Replacements: M Victory, P Dooley, J Aungier, J Murphy, S O’Brien, B Murphy, J Carty, J Devine.